Harry Potter and the Forgotten Magic
by Nkari
Summary: Harry meets a new girl, gets detention from Snape, and things unfold from there! Elemental Powers, Little bit of Romance, and LOTS of Voldemort! PLZ R/R! NOTE: Discontinued for now, may resume in the future.
1. Birthday Presents

DISCLAIMER: All objects, characters, places, ideas, ect, that are written in the Harry Potter official books, are owned by J.K Rowling. The plot and other characters/ideas are my own. Thank you. This goes for ALL chapters.  
  
*************  
  
Chapter 1: Birthday Presents  
  
The wind raced by, biting his face as he ran through the mountains. Strangely enough, he found he enjoyed the sensation. The wind was cold and strong coming from the northwest. 'A storm is coming,' he thought happily. He loved the outdoors, the smell of the earth, the nip of the wind, and the bite of the rain. He didn't know why, didn't question, it had no relevance. The storm quickly overtook where he stood and he cried out at it, challenging the elements. Just then a bolt of blinding white light struck him full in the face. He felt himself fall, heard a deafening roar, everything faded, then everything was gone.  
  
Harry woke up sweating. It was the third time this week that he had had this dream. 'Wonder what it means,' he thought to himself. He took a glance at the clock by his bed, 11:58. 'Almost midnight,' he thought again, 'MIDNIGHT?! MY BIRTHDAY!' Instantly Harry forgot about his dream and began to think about what he may get from his friends. Harry's birthday had only begun to mean something to him before his first year of Hogwarts, when he got his first birthday card, ever. He had been 12. Now it was something that he looked forward to every year, it was the one thought that kept his sanity while living at the Dursley's, his hated guardians.  
  
Just then his clock struck 12:00. He was now 15! There was instantly rapping at his window, he opened it and a plethora of owls flew in, ten in fact. It was the most he had every received. He took all the letters and presents from them and fed them an owl treat before letting them out the window to fly back to wherever they came from. He took a look at all his presents.  
  
'Wow, there are so many this year.' He began with the smallest present. It was from Sirius. The note attached read:  
  
Dear Harry, HOW ARE YOU? I have worried the entire summer over you. Dumbledore keeps insisting that you are fine but I cannot keep but worry. I am being kept busy in the VRG, Voldemort Resistance Group. Dumbledore has me sent on all sorts of missions. I get a new one almost weekly. But on to happier news, you are 15! I'm so proud of you Harry. The gift that I have enclosed is a necklace. No, it is not girly in any way. Would I do that to you? It will enable you to think about a person and it will glow bright gold if they are ok, and will glow a dark blue if that person is in trouble. However, if it glows blue, then a comforting spell will be cast to help you through the trauma. I have one as well, so I will be checking on you often. I miss you lots Harry.  
  
With Love, Sirius Black (your godfather, and convicted murderer)  
  
P.S. Dumbledore hinted I might be at Hogwarts a few times this year. I look forward to seeing you then!  
  
Harry opened the package and indeed it was a necklace. The centerpiece of the necklace was a stone, a midnight Black stone. He felt the stone and it was cold to the touch. He instantly thought about Sirius and the stone began to glow bright gold. 'Whew, Sirius is safe,' thought Harry.  
  
He picked up the next gift, opened the letter and found that it was from Ron.  
  
Hey Harry!  
  
Hope you are doing well, living with the muggles and whatnot. If they are treating you badly just spell them or something. I know, you can't do that but at least threaten them with Sirius. Anyways, has your scar been hurting you? I really hope not. Now that Voldemort is back.  
  
Well, I got you your birthday present. Took me nearly a day to find what I wanted to get you. It is a very old book, be careful with it. To be honest actually, I couldn't really tell what it was about, but the pictures were awesome and I decided that you would like it. It is written in another language, however, I justified this by telling myself it gave you something to do, deciphering the language. Anyway, just wanted to say "hi" and give you your birthday present.  
  
Ciao,  
  
Ron Weasley  
  
P.S. You are not allowed to come to our house because Voldie is back, hope you're not too bummed. I was.  
  
Harry was bummed. He had been looking forward to seeing his friends before the start of school, now those hopes lay dashed. Sad, Harry proceeded to open the next few presents. The next was from Dumbledore, who gave him a book of spells, from the restricted section in the library. Harry gawked at it and thought about how he had managed to get passed Madam Pince with the book. 'Must've been a prankster when he was a kid,' thought Harry smiling. The next couple of gifts were from Ginny, and Fred and George. Ginny had given him another singing birthday card, which was very nice, though he feared that it would wake up the Dursley's. Fred and George had given him a note saying that his wish for Ron's new robes had been done and they had included a few of their newest inventions in a small package. They were tempting him to use them on Dudley. Harry almost laughed.  
  
His next gift was rather heavy and after reading whom the card was from, he was beginning to fear opening it. It was from Hagrid. The note was hastily written, but Harry excused this as Hagrid being rushed in his mission from Dumbledore. It stated simply  
  
Hello Harry,  
  
Sorry for this note not being very long but I don't have much time to write. I didn't want you to think that I had forgotten however and so I sent this note and present. Hope ya like it!  
  
-Hagrid  
  
Harry cautiously opened the package and was relieved when nothing popped out of it at him. As he opened it farther however, his jaw dropped. In a neatly packaged box were 5 throwing knives, 3 throwing stars, a dagger, and a sword. All of which were gemmed, were of Dwarven make, and had the presence of magic about them. 'Magical weapons,' thought Harry as he admired each one, mentally hugging Hagrid for such a great gift. 'I shall have to practice with these,' thought Harry to himself. Harry unpacked them to find a belt for which some of the weapons would go, and holsters for other weapons.  
  
The next present was from Hermione. The letter contained most of the same content that Ron's had, except she told him about her trip to Italy, France, Switzerland, and Austria. She also told him that she had broken up with Viktor Krum and didn't go to Bulgaria to see him. Harry grinned, although he and Viktor had become friends, he still didn't trust him.  
  
Hermione had sent him a book, 'big surprise there,' he thought, but was interested when he read its title, Spells: Of every witch sort. A note attached to it told Harry that she had picked it up in a very old bookstore in Switzerland. She hadn't read it and had no idea what it was about. He put it with Ron's book, determined to read it later.  
  
The next five presents were from Hogwarts and various people, Neville, Dean Thomas, Professor McGonnagal, and to Harry's surprise, Cho Chang. They had given him three books, two on Quidditch (from Cho and Dean), and one on languages, (from Neville). His letter from Hogwarts stated his school supplies that would be needed for that year, and stated that he, along with Hermione Granger and Ron Grey, had been made prefects of the Gryfindor house. He almost choked. 'Are they crazy?' he asked himself. The last letter was from Professor McGonnagal, and it informed him that the team had already voted and under Wood's recommendation, he was elected Quidditch team captain. Harry was ecstatic, but at the same time couldn't help but see Ron's jealous face.  
  
After opening all of his presents and reading al of his letters Harry lie back down on his bed, and fell asleep. Again he began to run with the cold wind biting at his face.  
  
************  
  
He woke the next morning, to his Uncle Vernon's call, "BOY! Get down here!" Harry complied, none too quickly, and was yapped at for being late down to breakfast. "What did I tell you about showing up late to a family meal?" yelled his Aunt Petunia.  
  
Harry shrugged, "Since when did you consider me family," asked Harry putting an emphasis on the last word.  
  
"Since we took you in you ungracious git!" yelled his uncle. His cousin, Dudley, snickered at his being yelled at. Harry had had enough; he took some toast, shoved it in his mouth and walked back up to his room. No sooner had he got back to his only haven in the Dursley house, than he took out Neville and Ron's gifts.  
  
He used Neville's book of languages to determine that the language the old book Ron had gotten him was written in Ancient Latin, the original Latin, spoken before the Romans came to power. This was truly an old book. Harry glanced at it one last time before he began to decode it. Bit by bit, line by line.  
  
As he progressed he was startled to see what he was translating. It was a book on sorcery, one of the most powerful and long forgotten forms of magic. Sorcery, as he had deciphered, was the control of the elements. The book only became more interesting.  
  
Harry decided that every day he would practice with the weapons that Hagrid had given him, and would look over and memorize all the spells in the book that Hermione had given him. He wouldn't use the spells however as he wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school yet. However, that soon changed. While looking through Hermione's book he discovered a spell that could hide his magic signal. The ministry wouldn't ever be able to recognize him when he used his magic. He copied the spell down and pondered whether or not to continue with it. Too use his magic on break however, was too much of a temptation for Harry and he decided to attempt this spell.  
  
"Incerti Auctori!" Harry said as he waved his wand in the prescribed matter. Instantly, his entire body burned and he felt power running through him. 'It worked!' was the last thing he thought before he passed out on his bed.  
  
The next day Harry got out of bed and looked at his clock, 7:00. He yawned and slowly dressed for work. Harry had searched for a job as soon as he had gotten home from Hogwarts the previous year. 'It would be good,' he had thought to himself, 'to earn some extra muggle money and to get away from the Dursleys. Usually, if he had woken up at 7:00 Harry would have rushed to get ready as fast as humanly possible, but not today. Today, he knew he could use some magic to assist him. So, as Harry dressed, his bag packed itself, and as he walked downstairs to the kitchen, his breakfast was making itself. Harry walked to the front door, opened it and went outside. There he picked up the newspaper, walked back in and headed towards the kitchen table.  
  
He sat down and opened up the newspaper. He frowned as he read the headline. 'Terrorists Attack London!' Harry knew otherwise. He knew that it had not been terrorists, he knew that it had been Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard of much power. It was about this time that his breakfast floated over to him and his cousin Dudley walked in.  
  
Harry looked up at Dudley in time to see an expression of pure terror on the fat boy's face. Dudley ran out of the kitchen as fast as he could move, which wasn't all that fast, he did weight close to three-hundred pounds. Harry shrugged and went back to eating his eggs and toast. He finished and then used a simple spell to clean up. As he headed back upstairs he ran into his Uncle Vernon, who was even larger than Dudley.  
  
"Get out of the way boy!" Vernon had sputtered this last word.  
  
"No," was Harry's calm reply.  
  
"What? Did you just say 'no?' You will never say no to me boy! You should respect your aunt and I for taking you in."  
  
"Respect?!" Harry nearly screamed. "Respect! You have never shown me one ounce of respect. Never, not once in my life. You call me 'boy.' My name is Harry! Boy - is not what I wish to be called. In fact, why don't I give you a little lesson in being respectful. MOVE!" As he said this last word he had pulled his wand and preformed the most powerful banishing spell he knew on his uncle. The result was a 350-pound man flying backwards up the stairs and crashing into the wall at the top.  
  
Harry finished walking up the stairs towards the bathroom, he turned the corner, but not before giving his uncle a look of pure hatred. His uncle tried but couldn't return the glare; he was too scared. Harry walked to the bathroom brushed his teeth and made a futile attempt at taming his wild black hair. Then he headed off to work. 


	2. Trouble At Work

Chapter 2: Trouble at Work  
  
Harry began the walk to the bus stop. He glanced down at his watch, he had gotten a new one with his first paycheck, 7:45. The bus would arrive in fifteen minutes. Harry picked up his pace a little until he saw the stop. He arrived with five minutes to spare. There were two others waiting for the bus with him. He knew one of them. Mrs. Figg was her name. She used to baby-sit Harry when he was a kid. She had many cats at her house and always smelled of them. The other person waiting Harry did not know, but didn't really care. The man was sitting at the bench reading the day's paper. He was reading the first article about the 'terrorist' attack.  
  
The bus arrived right on time and Harry, Mrs. Figg, and the other man boarded. Harry now had a twenty-five minute ride into town to the bookstore which he worked at. As he waited on the bus he noticed the man from the bus stop acting strangely. He looked nervous as his hand strayed towards Mrs. Figg's purse. Harry knew what was about to happen and before the man could get what he wanted Harry yelled, "THIEF!"  
  
At this the man turned and on his face was a look of panic. Harry tackled the man before he could get up and the others on the bus helped to constrain him. At the next stop the police were waiting to pick him up. Harry was thanked by Mrs. Figg and accepted the praise given to him from the others on the bus. He just smiled through it all, glad he didn't have to use magic.  
  
Harry got off at the next stop and began the walk towards the bookstore he worked at. On the way he stopped in a florist shop and picked up a rose. He nodded to Michelle as he walked into the store and headed to Angie. Harry stopped for a minute as he admired her from a distance. She had light brown hair that fell to her shoulders, dark brown eyes that Harry had lost himself in many times, and a smile that made Harry feel like he was melting inside. Harry began to sweat as he neared her and began mentally practicing what he was going to say.  
  
'Angie, umm, I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me? No that's no good. Angie, do you think that we could get together sometime, nope. Umm, oh god.' She turned around and saw Harry with the rose.  
  
"Who's that for Harry?" she asked him teasingly.  
  
"Actually, its for umm - you."  
  
"Harry, that's so sweet."  
  
"Um, Angie, I was, um, wondering if, um, if you wanted to, uh - "  
  
"Harry, are you asking me out?" she asked happily.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I wanted to know if you wanted to go for dinner sometime, after work or something." He began mumbling to himself saying things like, 'maybe not,' and 'if you want to.'  
  
Angie just laughed and said, "Harry, don't be so nervous. Of course I will go out with you. In fact, I was wondering when you were going to ask me, I was just about to ask you myself." She added.  
  
Harry let out a sigh of relief and then looked around noticing everybody that worked in the bookstore was staring at him. Then everybody began to laugh. Harry received a few pats on the back and everybody teased him about being so nervous. Harry just smiled back and joined in their laughter. After the commotion had died down, he and Angie talked. They talked about many things, but mostly about himself. Harry knew a lot about Angie, but Angie knew very little about Harry, only that he was handsome, nice, and caring. The conversation was going well when Angie asked where Harry went to school.  
  
"Oh, uh, I go to a boarding school. My guardians you see, don't uh like me much. Probably especially so after this morning."  
  
"Oh what happened?"  
  
"Oh, uh, I sort of got into a fight with my uncle and -"  
  
"BOOM!" A deafening noise hit the store as the back wall collapsed. Out of the dust came six figures, all dressed in black, and to Harry's horror, all with wands drawn."  
  
"Oh no," said Harry quietly, "Angie, get the others and run, NOW! RUN!" Angie didn't move.  
  
"What about you Harry?" she asked. Harry could tell she was genuinely scared, terrified was probably a better word.  
  
"You can't worry about me right now, get out of here!" Angie hesitantly complied and ran out of the front door of the store along with the other employees. Harry was left alone to deal with six Death Eaters.  
  
'I'm gonna need a miracle to survive this one,' he thought as he drew his own wand. The death eaters laughed.  
  
"You are brave Harry Potter, but you know that you cannot defeat six of us," said the leader. Harry recognized his voice, it belonged to Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"We will see Lucius, we will see. Ildkraft!" As he said this word fire flew out of his wand. The heat was almost unbearable. He heard three different distinctive screams. 'Three down, three to go.'  
  
"Ferksvann!" a voice that Harry recognized as Lucius's yelled. Instantly the entire store was drenched in water as the humidity rose to huge levels. Harry's firestorm had been put out.  
  
Harry kept on the attack, he could not let them go offensive or he would lose. He dodged a disarming curse and shouted, "Kraftstale!" An energy beam of gigantic proportions shot out of Harry's wand at Lucius who could nothing but apparate out of the room. The other two were not so lucky. Harry heard their screams of agony and although he tried he could not block out the pain of their screams. Then he heard them. He heard the sirens. The police were coming. Harry quickly ran out of the building.  
  
Angie was there, she was crying. 'She must think me dead,' Harry thought as he ran towards her. "Angie!" he cried.  
  
"Harry!" she ran towards him. They embraced each other in a hug. She held him tightly. So very tightly. "Harry, don't ever do that again. Next time stay with me, leave with me."  
  
"I couldn't Angie, it was me they were after. I'll explain everything to you. You deserve it. Follow me."  
  
"You, why were they after you! And don't you need to stay to talk with the police?" she asked him frantically.  
  
"No, they will take care of it."  
  
"Who is 'they'? Harry, what are you going to tell me?!"  
  
"Just come with me." She followed, scared.  
  
Harry led her down a street. They were silent the whole way. However, the rest of the city was in a panic. Some were running to, some were running from the scene of the attack. Harry kept walking until he reached where he wanted to be. In between a record shop and book store there was a small, shack-like structure.  
  
"Here," Harry said simply.  
  
"Here, in one of those stores?"  
  
"No, the shack between them."  
  
"What? Harry, there is nothing there."  
  
"I can assure you there is. Follow me and hold onto my hand." She did as she was told and Harry led them into the side of the two buildings. They ended up in a yard and in front of them was a shack.  
  
"The Leaky Cauldron," Harry muttered to himself. Angie became hysterical.  
  
"Where are we Harry, can't you tell me what is going on NOW?" she asked. "Was that some kind of illusion we walked through, holographics?"  
  
"Inside we will talk Angie, and no, that was magic." She didn't know what to say to that last message and was quiet as they walked into The Leaky Cauldron. Harry nodded to Tom the barkeeper as he walked in.  
  
"Harry," Tom questioned, "What are you doing bringing a muggle in here?"  
  
"Don't worry Tom, she needs an explanation." Then he added softly so Angie couldn't hear, "if I need to I will put a memory charm on, but I think I can trust her."  
  
"Okay Harry, I trust your judgment."  
  
Everybody was staring at Harry and Angie. Everybody was wearing robes, carrying wands, and some of the women were wearing floppy wizard hats. Angie passed out. Harry caught her as she fell, paid Tom for a room, and dragged Angie up to it. He laid her on the bed and stood next to her. He took out his wand.  
  
"Enervate," he said. She woke up looked up at him, her face voicing the question, 'where am I?' Then she saw him holding a wand and passed out again. Harry patiently raised his wand and woke her.  
  
"Angie, this is what I needed to talk to you about. I am a wizard Angie. Yes I know what you are thinking, 'magic doesn't exist,' but it does Angie. Let me show you. Lumos." Harry's wand lit up. Angie started to waver again. "Angie no, don't faint." Harry caught her again. 'This is going to be a long night,' he thought. She had passed out again.  
  
When she awoke Harry comforted her. She began to cry. "Why," she asked, "why can you use magic and I can't?"  
  
Harry had expected many things, anger, violence, accusations, but not this. "Well, I'm not really sure what prevents you from using magic. I'm sure I could find out. Would you like to stay here for a while Angie. We can get a note to your parents.  
  
"Yes, I'd like that."  
  
"Okay." Angie wrote a note to her parents telling them that she was okay. She lied in that she told them that she was with the police and might be for a day or two. She said that she loved them very much and that she couldn't wait to see them again. "Good, now," Harry whistled and Hedwig flew into the room through the open window, "Angie, meet Hedwig, Hedwig, this is Angie. Be nice to her."  
  
"She's beautiful Harry."  
  
"I know," answered Harry, "almost as beautiful as you are." Angie just smiled. "Now, let me get you some proper clothing for this part of London. I will be back up in a couple minutes." Harry ran downstairs where he asked Tom if he had any female robes that Angie could borrow. Tom gave Harry some robes with another warning.  
  
"Be careful Harry. Don't show her too much, she may go insane after what she's seen."  
  
"Thanks for the advice Tom," Harry answered. He ran back upstairs and gave Angie the robes. "Here, put these on."  
  
"Where are we going Harry?"  
  
"Diagon Alley. It is where wizards and witches do all their shopping."  
  
"Wow," that was all she could say. Harry led Angie downstairs telling her on the way to act like she was supposed to be here so nobody would know she was a muggle. She had asked him what a muggle was.  
  
"A non-magical person," was all he gave for his answer.  
  
"Oh, ok." Harry led her out the back door of The Leaky Cauldron giving Tom a thumbs up on his way out. In the back he walked straight up to the brick wall and tapped one of the bricks causing them all to move out of the way for him, opening the way to Diagon alley.  
  
"Oh my god. This is - this is amazing," she whispered to him. People were running from shop to shop looking for the best deals. As always there was a crowd outside the Quidditch shop looking at the newest broom, The Lightning. Harry decided that it was a fitting name after seeing what its top speed was. He led her to the bookstore and they stepped inside. They walked to the section on the basis of magic. Harry took out a book that was extremely old and began to flip through the pages. Angie picked up something a little more modern.  
  
Suddenly, Harry's eyes opened wider and he shut the book. "Come on Angie," lets get out of here. Harry and Angie walked up to the counter and Harry paid for the book he had been reading. He shrank it using magic and then took Angie out for ice cream.  
  
After ice cream Harry announced that it was getting late and he wanted to go back to The Leaky Cauldron. Angie agreed yawning an so they set off back the way they had came. It was late when they returned. As Harry came in he saw Tom. He gave Tom a look of 'its okay' and Tom shrugged. Harry took Angie back to their room.  
  
"Uh, if you want you can have the bed Angie," he said to her.  
  
"Oh yeah, forgot about that. Um, okay, I'll take the bed then."  
  
"Alright. Can you sleep with a light on, I want to read this book for a little bit."  
  
"Yeah, I can sleep well with a light on."  
  
"Okay - goodnight Angie."  
  
"Goodnight Harry."  
  
Angie used the bathroom to change into her muggle clothes then laid down on the bed and went to sleep. Harry however, took out his book and began to read by firelight. What held is attention was the title of the section: How to Give Muggles Magic. Harry began to read. To give a muggle magical power is a dangerous thing. It may mentally damage them. However, if they so wish to receive these powers and you wish to gift them with magic the following is the process used -.  
  
Harry spent the night preparing for what he wanted to ask Angie in the morning and setting up what would be the most difficult spell he had ever attempted. 


	3. The Gift of Magic

Chapter 3: The Gift of Magic  
  
Ron was waiting a Flourish and Blotts, the prescribed meeting place for the friends that year. So far it was just him. 'Where are Hermione and Harry?' he asked himself, getting impatient. Suddenly he spotted a girl with red curly hair running towards him, arms out as if to give him a hug. "Hermione!" Ron shouted, receiving her hug. "Hermione, I can't breathe," he gasped.  
  
"Sorry, Ron," she said as she let go, "I'm just so excited to finally see you again."  
  
"Yeah, I'm excited to see you too, but I don't want to die."  
  
"Ron, you're a riot. Hey, did you get Harry's message?"  
  
"The one about when he meets us here he's gonna have a surprise for us?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, what do you think it is gonna be?" Hermione wondered.  
  
"I don't know, maybe he was made a prefect or something."  
  
"Hmmm, I didn't think about that but I guess. I thought that maybe he learned something about Hogwarts or the Dark Lord. Some kind of information. I don't know though."  
  
"Well, whatever it is, it will be good. I could tell he was excited when I read his letter."  
  
"Yeah me too." All of a sudden Hermione hugged Ron again, "I'm just so excited to see you again!" she squealed.  
  
"Oh, get a room!" came a cry from about ten feet away. Both Ron and Hermione glanced over towards the shout. There was a teen wizard standing there smiling.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione and Ron said quizzically.  
  
"Yeah, don't you recognize your ol' friend?" he asked with a sad look on his face.  
  
"HARRY!" they both yelled as they jumped on him, nearly knocking him to the ground.  
  
"Wow!" said Ron. "You've grown a lot Harry."  
  
"Yeah," said Hermione, "Taller, stronger. cuter."  
  
"Hermione!" shouted Ron and Harry at the same time. She just smiled back.  
  
"I'm only kidding you two."  
  
But both knew she wasn't when a group of girls, 5th, 6th and 7th years passed them staring at Harry with their mouths open.  
  
"Kidding?" asked Ron.  
  
"Well." she left it at that.  
  
"Well," said Harry, "I hope you are kidding because that has to do with the thing I want to tell you. Guys, this - is Angie." Angie came out from behind Harry and waved shyly at Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Hello," she whispered.  
  
"Harry! You got a girlfriend?!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed.  
  
"Well sort of. It is a long story. Anyway, I asked Dumbledore and she will be coming to Hogwarts with us this year. Her parents took a little bit more convincing." He grinned at her and she grinned back.  
  
Soon they all left together and went into the different stores, acquiring the supplies they needed, and getting extra entertainment. Hermione bought some books on the history of other wizarding schools besides Hogwarts, and Harry bought some advanced spell books, which he carefully hid from Hermione and Ron, of course. He didn't plan on letting them know about his summer quite yet. Angie bought some basic spell books that Harry had recommended.  
  
Their next stop was robes. Angie picked out some black robes that were the perfect size. Harry caught himself goggling before anybody else noticed. She also bought some nice dress robes for herself. Harry was very pleased with the selections that she had made.  
  
After acquiring her robes they headed towards Olivander's to get Angie a wand. Angie and Harry walked in first, followed by Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Umm, Mr. Olivander?" Harry called.  
  
"Be there in a minute!" came the reply.  
  
The friends waited while Mr. Olivander lugged himself from out of the back of the shop. "Ah, Harry! Ron, Hermione." He said each of their names and bowed. "And who do we have here?" he asked eying Angie.  
  
"Mr. Olivander, may I introduce you to Angie. She will be joining our terrible trio this year at Hogwarts." This was said very jokingly and Mr. Olivander chuckled.  
  
"Yes, I've hear about you three and your - adventures," he said. "Miss Angie, take the advice of an old goon and find some more responsible people to hang around with."  
  
"Hey, Mr. Olivander, we're not that bad," said Harry with a fake hurt look on his face.  
  
"I'm just kidding around Mr. Potter. Now lets see what we can do about a wand for you Miss Angie."  
  
Harry remembered getting his own wand five years ago. Watching Angie get hers brought back these memories. Nothing had changed. It had taken Mr. Olivander fifteen minutes to find the wand for Angie. The wand that was finally best for her was nine inches long, flexible, and with a core of a dragon heartstring. After purchasing her wand she lovingly packaged it and held it close to her. Then they proceeded to acquire potion ingredients, schoolbooks, various other protective clothing, and an owl. Angie decided on a black owl, so that she and Harry wouldn't get their owls mixed up.  
  
After they had finished with all of their shopping, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Angie all met with Mrs. And Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley began to immediately fuss over Angie and both Harry and Ron laughed. All were tired and decided to spend the next week, while they waited for the start of school, at The Burrow. When they arrived they unpacked and went to sleep. Harry in Ron's room, and Hermione and Angie in Ginny's.  
  
The next morning Ron woke up to find Harry missing from his bed. Wonder what he is doing up so early,' he thought to himself. He slowly raised himself out of his single bed and dressed. As he stumbled towards the stairs to go down to the kitchen he ran into Hermione.  
  
"Ron, you're up early," she commented  
  
"Harry is not in the room," Ron replied, "any idea as to where he is?"  
  
"Angie is missing also. Hmm, maybe they are outside on his broom or something."  
  
They grabbed a quick breakfast and then went outside in search of Harry and Angie. They didn't find him in the front yard on the Weasley's makeshift Quidditch field, nor did they find him in the back. They started to worry when they heard a soft "thud" come from the trees to the right. They crept over towards the tree line and saw Harry. Their mouths dropped open as they watched him. He had out a sword, and was swinging it around, with much control, and striking a tree as if it were a target. Then, to their amazement, he handed the sword to Angie who took it up and did almost as well as Harry had. Both Ron and Hermione watched them for some time before creeping back to the house together.  
  
"Can you believe that?" Ron asked Hermione when they were back at The Burrow.  
  
"No, he is very good," came the reply.  
  
"Thanks," said another voice from the doorway. The looked in surprise as Harry stepped into the house. "Did you enjoy the show?" he asked them.  
  
"Yeah," came the instant reply. "Where did you learn to do that Harry?"  
  
"Well. I didn't have much to do over the summer and Hagrid sent me this sword. I figured that I might as well teach myself to use it. May come in handy against ol' Voldie. Then, when I met Angie I decided to teach her as well. We had quite a bit of extra time while we waited for you guys to get our stuff." He smiled at this last statement. "Anyway, what's for breakfast?"  
  
"Oh, well, we just grabbed something to eat before going out to see where you had gone, we were starting to worry about you Harry."  
  
"Nonsense, you don't need to worry about me, Voldemort has been trying to kill me for fifteen years. Do you think he is gonna succeed now?" he asked them laughing. "Besides, I got Angie here to protect me," he said hugging her.  
  
"Well, anyway, you should be careful and tell us where you went."  
  
"I know, I just needed some fresh air. My room att eh Dursley's became quite stuffy and I wasn't allowed outside much."  
  
"Well, if you need some fresh air," said Ron with a smile, "I'm sure we would all like to hold a small Quidditch match."  
  
"That would be wonderful! I haven't played Quidditch in too long. Far too long," he added sighing. He began to think about the sport he so adored. He loved the feeling of flying through the air on a broomstick, the wind biting his face. He loved the sound of the air whipping by him. He became lost in fond memories of the game, and the feeling it aroused in him.  
  
"Harry. Harry. Harry, snap out of it!" Angie said tapping him slightly on the cheek.  
  
Harry's eyes unglazed as he said, "Sorry, too many fond memories of Quidditch I suppose. Now how about that game?"  
  
They quickly gathered the necessary components, brooms, balls, uniforms, and players, and a game began. Hermione and Angie sat by and watched as Harry looped, spiraled, swerved, and dived, enjoying the ecstatic look on his face. Harry's team won when he did a 500-foot dive and caught the snitch six inches from the ground. Angie and Hermione cheered.  
  
That night both Harry and Ron fell asleep exhausted. They had played Quidditch almost the entire day. As soon as they said "Goodnight" to each other, they had crashed.  
  
Harry was running through a mountain field, the wind biting his face. He loved the sound of the wind as it swept by his ears and loved the smell of the incoming storm. As the storm hit he began running in the rain. Its touch cooling and reviving him. Then there was a blinding flash; a clap of thunder then all went black. However, Harry did not wake up. He waited. Then a voice could be heard, an ancient voice, a voice that sounded like the wind itself. It sang a poem in a light voice. There was no happiness in its voice, nor was it sad. There was no humor, no harshness. It simply sang.  
  
Once thought lost  
  
Never found  
  
Never seen  
  
Always around  
  
Powers old  
  
Long since forgotten  
  
Through you now  
  
Again begotten  
  
Harry awoke startled. He remembered having a dream, being struck by lighting, but nothing after. He knew that something else had happened. He cursed himself for not remembering what. He tried to think, but thinking just put him asleep faster. 


	4. Return to Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Return to Hogwarts  
  
The day finally came to go to Platform 9¾ to wait for the Hogwarts Express. As Harry, Hermione, Angie, and all the Weasley's pulled out their belongings the crowd stared at them. Between seven of the kids there were two owls in cages, a cat, six miniature mountains of books, and cloaks. Harry and the rest just ignored the stares and walked towards Platform 9. When they arrived at their destination they walked over to the wall that separated Platform 9 with Platform 10. They idly struck up a conversation as one by one they slid into the wall, appearing on Platform 9¾.  
  
Harry went through the magical barrier first with Angie who had been very nervous about the whole ordeal. Ron and Hermione had followed them. Ginny, Ron's little sister came next, and Fred and George, Ron's twin brothers, last. They all stared at the train in front of them. It was painted a beautiful Black with gold edging. They only stared for a few seconds however because the whistle to alert all that the train would be departing soon blew. They all got on board. Harry, Ron, and Hermione led Angie to their usual cabin. Ginny, Fred, and George went off in search of their friends.  
  
Harry and Ron taught Angie how to play exploding snap while they waited for the train to begin its long journey to Hogwarts. She turned out to be quite a natural at the game, beating Ron two out of three times. He muttered something about beginner's luck. After these games Fred and George walked into the cabin.  
  
"Harry," asked George.  
  
"We were wondering," continued Fred.  
  
"If you Ron, Hermione, and Angie -"  
  
"Wanted to help us this year -"  
  
"And learn to be official pranksters?" finished George. Harry and Ron's mouths dropped open. Hermione snorted and Angie looked confused.  
  
"You mean it?" asked Ron. "Us pulling pranks with you?"  
  
"Yeah," said Fred. "We need to train someone to be the school's official pranksters for when we leave."  
  
"Right on!" yelled Harry. "Of course we will learn from you, the best." He added this last part for good measure.  
  
"Great," answered George. "So, what should we do for the sorting ceremony," he added evilly.  
  
Surprising them all, Angie came up with the perfect solution.  
  
***********  
  
They arrived at Hogwarts late in the day. As was customary, Hagrid called all of the first years to him.  
  
"Hello Hagrid," greeted Harry, "Thanks for the great gift," he added and tried to give the half-giant a hug, but his arms didn't even reach halfway around the gigantic man.  
  
"Oh thanks Harry," answered Hagrid smiling, "you really liked them?"  
  
"They were the best gifts I got," he added softer so that no one would hear.  
  
"Thanks Harry, dun' worry. I won't tell anyone you said that."  
  
"But another reason I wanted to talk to you. This is Angie. She isn't a first year but this will be her first year here. I was wondering if you could take her with you across the lake?"  
  
"Sure, just hop in one of the boats missy."  
  
"Thanks Hagrid," Harry said, "I guess I had better be off to the castle."  
  
"Yeah, dun' wanna keep you waiting. See ya Harry!"  
  
"Bye Hagrid," Harry called as he ran off leaving Hagrid with all the first years and Angie. Hagrid then began the ceremonial trip across the lake with them.  
  
  
  
When the first years finally arrived in the Great Hall there was much applauding. They walked down the center aisle and sat at four tables near the stage that the sorting hat was on. One by one they were called up, put on the hat, and were put into a house.  
  
"Adder, Michael"  
  
"GRYFINDOR!" with this announcement the first year went over to the Gryfindor table which was screaming itself hoarse. There were three more people called before the name Harry really wanted to hear.  
  
"Caulfield, Angie." The sorting hat seemed to be having a hard time deciding where to put her because it delayed. Harry started to sweat. Then the hat made its decision.  
  
"GRYFINDOR!" Angie happily made her way down to Harry's arms.  
  
"Thank god you got in Gryfindor, I don't know what I would've done," Harry said.  
  
"I don't know what I would've done either, all my friends are in Gryfindor."  
  
The Sorting continued for roughly another half hour and finally ended when Margret Zylla was sorted into Hufflepuff. Then Dumbledore stood.  
  
"As is usual, the Forbidden Forest is off limits, hence the name. There have been several new items added to the forbidden list in Filches office, some of which are there courtesy to these boys." He pointed to Fred and George. They raised their hands accepting the 'praise' as they put it. "Also, there is a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and that is," he paused, "me." The entire student body erupted with cheers. "Thank-you, I know that you are overjoyed to hear this but please calm down." The cheering slowly subsided. "There will also be two new classes being taught. Physical Defense and Dueling." There was scattered applauding following this announcement. "The teacher of these classes will remain disclosed until such time as they begin. Thank you for being patient. Now, let's eat." As he said these last two words the food floated down to the tables in fancy dishes. However, as soon as they landed, every roast turkey, the main dish, exploded.  
  
Angie, Harry, Ron, Fred, and George's laughter became contagious and as the screaming (from the girls) subsided, and everyone joined in.  
  
"That was brilliant!" the Marauders, as they came to call themselves, shouted at the same time giving each other high fives. Hermione just looked at them and started to scream again.  
  
The feast continued without further interruption until the end when Dumbledore stood back up and called Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco Malfoy, Millicent Bullstrode, and Goyle, along with some others from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw up to the stage.  
  
"You twelve have been chose as this year's prefects for your classes, your heads of house will give you the passwords to your common rooms. In ten minutes I will dismiss everyone to go back. You will lead the first years. Thank you and have a good night."  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Us, prefects?" they asked at the same time, then each fell to the floor laughing. Soon though they asked Professor McGonnagal what the password was to the Gryfindor common room, it ended up being 'Godric.'  
  
The party was dismissed and Harry, Ron, and Hermione took charge of leading the 1st years and Angie up to the common room. On the way they taught them where the trick steps were and how to find the hallway where the Fat Lady Portrait was. When they had arrived with all the 1st years Harry gave the password and the portrait swung open, wishing them all another good year, and saying hello to all the new Gryfindors.  
  
Soon the new prefects had all the first years in the rooms. They and Angie all met in the common room.  
  
"Well," began Hermione, "do you want to tell us your story," she said as she gestured towards Harry and Angie.  
  
Harry looked at Angie who nodded him permission and he began. "Well, it all began when I got a job. I had decided to work at a bookstore because it would be the perfect cover at home, when I could say I was reading anything but my spell books. However, my reason for working there changed the first moment I saw Angie. I do believe that my jaw dropped, of course I quickly caught myself." He paused while the other chuckled. "Well I worked there for most for the summer and had finally decided to ask Angie out on a date. I don't really remember what I was saying but I know that it came out all jumbled, I just couldn't get my words straight while I was staring at her." Angie hit him playfully. "Hey, well its true. But anyway, I had just finished asking her out when the back wall blew up and six Death Eaters came out of the dust. I sent Angie and the other employees out and battled them myself. The only one to escape was Lucius Malfoy." Ron whistled, and Hermione stared.  
  
"You - you beat six Death Eaters?"  
  
"Yes, it wasn't easy mind you. I really didn't think I was coming out of that building alive. However, after the battle I knew that the magic control squad would show up and so I left, and I took Angie with me. I owed her an explanation. I took her to the Leaky Cauldron and rented a room there. As I recall she fainted four times before I got my entire story out." She hit him again, a little harder this time. "It's true," Harry said grinning.  
  
"Well, the next day I took her into Diagon Alley to show her that I wasn't lying."  
  
"WAIT! Hold everything," Ron nearly shouted. "You were a muggle?!" Hermione mouth dropped open as she came to the same conclusion. Harry and Angie nodded their heads in agreement. "Well - how did you - how did you get accepted into Hogwarts?"  
  
"Hold on Ron, I'm getting to that part of the story. While we were in Diagon Alley, I got an idea. I had us stop by the bookstore and went to the section on muggles and magic. I found a very old book that caught my eye. Upon opening it I saw that it had a spell that allowed one to give magic to a muggle.  
  
"You all know that the ability to use magic is in all people right. It is just a pocket of the mind that wizards can access and muggles can't. When we went back to the Leaky Cauldron Angie fell asleep but I learned how to perform a spell that night that would open that part of Angie's mind to her. I had set everything up that night and when she awoke in the morning I asked her what was probably the biggest decision of her life. 'Would you like to be like me? Would you like to be able to control and use magic?' She was shocked, didn't think that it was possible, but I told her it was and that if she wanted to she would have to trust me. It took her a while to decide but she said 'yes.'  
  
"The spell was very complicated, and took a good half day to perform. I had to make sure that I did everything exactly right, or she might suffer brain damage. Believe me, I have never been more careful and systematic in my life. The last part of the spell required that I spill some of my own blood -" Angie took over.  
  
"I almost cried when Harry cut himself but he had warned me not to move, or speak during the entire process or it could go wrong. He just cut himself and gritted his teeth. His blood spilled into a bowl and he took it for the final part of the spell. He rubbed some of his blood on my forehead and hands. Then he said the last incantation and I felt the most amazing sensation I had ever felt. It was magic flowing through my veins, filling me with its sensation. Harry collapsed and I screamed. I was so scared for him." She tried but could continue, so Harry took over.  
  
"Tom heard the scream and came upstairs. He immediately recognized what had happened. He took care of me for the next two days with Angie's help. When I woke up all I wanted to know is if Angie was ok and if she had magic. Tom had answered 'yes' to both questions and so I was calmed. After I had sufficiently recovered Angie and I spent all of our time practicing spells and sword fighting. I must say that she has natural talent in both." He grinned. "We also had to visit Angie's parents, that was an interesting adventure. When we got there her parents couldn't stop crying and hugging Angie who kept insisting that she was all right. Then we explained that Angie could now use magic, and they fainted. Her mom fainted three times before she could keep herself from fainting again, her dad was okay after the first time. They began to accuse me of all sorts of nasty things, such as controlling their daughter. It took Angie some time to calm them down and explain that she chose this. They finally understood and let Angie come here to develop her powers. We left after that. Then we met you two after a few more days and now we are here! So that is our story."  
  
Hermione and Ron finally closed their jaws and began all sorts of questions at once. Harry couldn't understand what they were saying but most of it consisted of danger, insanity, and idiocy. He dismissed their babble and announced that he was going to bed. Angie did the same and they left up their separate ways, leaving Ron and Hermione to themselves. Harry chuckled. 'They are going to go crazy down there.'  
  
************  
  
The next morning Harry woke at 6:30. He tried to fall back asleep but couldn't. He decided that he would go out and run. He ran for thirty minutes. Then went back to the dormitories, showered, and headed down to breakfast. He met Hermione there, but Ron was still asleep. Hermione was taking a look at her schedule with Angie. Harry got his and then ate while looking it over. He and Hermione began debating how many points Snape would deduct from Gryfindor their first day of potions when an owl literally dove at Harry. Harry ducked and then there was a letter on his plate. The owl had pulled out of the dive so close to Harry it had skimmed his hair. It left as soon as it had delivered the note. Harry opened the note and goggled, it read:  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
You will not believe what happened two days ago. Voldemort attacked a town with his death eaters. There were heavy casualties on both sides but we managed to capture some death eaters. Guess who was among them, Peter! I insisted that he be tried und Veritiserum, and I was proven innocent! I will be seeing you soon.  
  
Your Godfather (now innocent)  
  
Sirius  
  
"Harry that is great!" squealed Hermione. "Now you can see each other whenever you want, and he doesn't have to come in his animagus form."  
  
All Harry could do was breathe a sigh of relief and smile. He couldn't stop smiling as he explained who Sirius Black was and his past to Angie. And when Ron came down and heard the news, he couldn't stop smiling either. At least until Draco came.  
  
"Well if it isn't Wonder boy, Mudblood, Weasel, and the New Girl."  
  
"Shut up Malfoy."  
  
"Is that the best you can do Potter? Because if it is your talent is waning. You would do well to remember that the Dark Lord has you at his number one spot on his hit list. Why don't you see as we do," he gestured to himself, Crabbe, and Goyle, "and join him. You could be beyond powerful."  
  
"I tried to see like you do Malfoy, but I found I couldn't get my head that far up my ass." This brought forth many choking noises and giggles from the crowd. "By the way, I've been numero uno on the Dark Fag's hit list for my entire life, and yet, I'm still here. I think that it is your master's talent that is waning - Malfoy." This last was said with a snarl.  
  
"You'll pay for that comment Potter. The Dark Lord will see to it."  
  
"I'm sure he will, but as for now, I have transfiguration to attend. Good- bye Malfoy, have a nice day." With this he left, leaving a snarling Draco behind. As soon as they rounded a corner, Ron, Angie, and Hermione burst out in laughter and were soon joined by Harry along with the rest of the Gryfindors with them. "Angie, that was Draco Malfoy, the one I was telling you about." She nodded knowingly.  
  
"That was beautiful Harry," interrupted Dean Thomas. "A perfect comeback to Malfoy's, 'see like I do.'"  
  
"Thanks Dean, I try," was Harry's only reply. Transfiguration went smoothly and by then everybody had heard of Harry and Draco's battle of tongues in the hallway, and how Harry had walked away the undisputed victor. The rest of the day went very well also, and Harry didn't have to worry about potions until tomorrow. When he had two classes with the Slytherans. 


	5. Lions and Snakes

Chapter 5: Lions and Snakes  
  
Harry woke up the next morning and headed down to the Great Hall. He found Dumbledore waiting for him.  
  
"Hello Harry, I was wondering how your summer went, and if your scar hurt you at any time."  
  
"Hello to you too Professor. My summer went exceedingly well considering I was at the Dursley's and no my scar didn't hurt once the entire summer."  
  
"Good, then it seems that Voldemort is still recovering from being reborn. We still have time to warn people, and try to convince the minister that Voldemort really is back."  
  
"He still doesn't believe us?" Harry asked amazed. All the signs, the attack on the village not long ago. Why in the hell is he so stupid?"  
  
"Calm down Harry, Minister Fudge just - just has some problems with Voldemort's return, he doesn't want the people to turn against him. Granted, he is their minister and should warn them -"  
  
"Exactly," Harry said interrupting Dumbledore, who just smiled.  
  
"Anyway, you had better hurry Harry, you have a busy day today."  
  
"Alright Professor. Nice talking to you," Harry added as he walked towards the Gryfindor table, which was nearly empty this early.  
  
He grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed out towards Hagrid's hut, where he could have some privacy.  
  
"Accio Sword," he said pointing his wand towards his tower window, and sure enough he saw his sword flying down to him. He unsheathed it and began practicing his swordplay. After a half-hour or so he retired and went to shower. He decided on using the prefect's bathrooms. After showering he again went to the Great Hall. This time his friends were up and he chatted with them before they headed off to their first class, potions.  
  
"Ugg," Ron said simply. The others agreed, well, all except Angie who had never had potions before. Every year they had potions with Slytheran, and potions was taught by Snape, the Slytheran headmaster. They made their way down to the dungeons where the potions classroom was. It was much cooler down in the dungeons than in the rest of Hogwarts, much cooler. As they entered the classroom they looked around and found Snape working on a potion at his desk. It bubbled and hissed and after a few more minutes of this, Snape took it off the burner. He set it on his desk to cool.  
  
"Hello, class." Harry could've sworn that Snape had hissed this second word. "There will be no grace period this year, we will get straight to work. If you will turn to page 312 of your potions text you will see a simple healing potion. I want you to brew this. When you are done, it should look very much like mine." He held his vial up so that everyone could see. "Now get to work!" he snapped at them.  
  
Everyone obeyed; Neville unfortunately, was not quite quick enough for Snape's taste. "Five points from Gryfindor for holding up the class." The Gryfindors wanted to refute this saying that it wasn't fair, but all held their tongues. The penalty for speaking now would be more lost points.  
  
Very soon everybody was getting out the required ingredients and chopping, slicing, and mashing them. They did whatever the book told them to. Then added them in a predefined order. Harry was adding his sliced ginseng when Neville stood up and in the process knocked over their table. Harry immediately cast some levitation charms and saved both his and Neville's potions from spilling.  
  
"Quick thinking Potter, but five points from Gryfindor for turning over a table in class." This last bit was directed at Neville, who was quite shaken. He had already lost ten points.  
  
"That's not fair!" yelled Harry.  
  
"What?" cried Snape, "Not fair you say. I'll tell you what's fair and what isn't. I'm the teacher around here. Show some respect boy. Detention. Tonight. ME!"  
  
Soon everybody had finished his or her potions and class ended. Harry and Ron met outside with Hermione.  
  
"Well, that was eventful. Very nice with the levitation charms Harry. Too bad you had to get so mad at Snape. He probably would've just let it go with five points."  
  
"Thanks Angie. But I don't need the criticism right now." He smiled at her. "So what is our next class?" this bit was directed at Hermione, who knew everything.  
  
"Defense, it should be interesting. I wonder what they will be teaching?"  
  
"Hmm, no idea. What's after that?"  
  
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, then Dueling."  
  
"Interesting. Well, lets go." With that they left towards the great hall, where defense was taking place.  
  
***********  
  
Dumbledore stepped up onto the stage in the Great Hall. "Hello," he began. "As you know, this is Defense. In this class you will be taught counter- curses, healing spells, and most importantly, physical combat. I want you all to show great respect and courtesy to our new teacher here at Hogwarts. He was recently cleared by the ministry so now I can hire him. I present to you your teacher, Sirius Black!"  
  
Harry's jaw dropped, along with Ron, Angie, and Hermione's. Everyone else applauded him and congratulated him on his innocence. After he had thanked them he started.  
  
"Today, you will meet your classmates and will chose a partner. Just one partner. This will be your defense partner for the rest of the year. You have five minutes, go."  
  
Harry immediately chose Angie as his partner and Ron chose Hermione. Once everybody had a partner, Sirius continued, "Your partner will heal you, your partner will spar with you, and you and your partner will become a well coordinated team. You will keep this partner in both this class and dueling, which I will also be teaching." At this smiles came from Harry and Ron. "Now, let us begin. The first thing that I will teach you is how to throw off the Imperius curse. I know that you had this last year with the fake Moody, but Dumbledore insists that each one of you be able to throw it off with little or no difficulty. Harry, let's start with you."  
  
Harry walked up to the stage as Sirius said, "Imperio." Harry felt blissfully ignorant. All he had to do was listen to the voice. 'Start Dancing' it told him. 'Why not,' one part of his brain said while the other part refused. 'Start Dancing' it told him again. 'I really don't think that that would look good, I would look rather silly.' Harry thought to himself.  
  
'Start Dancing NOW!' Yelled the voice. "NO!" yelled Harry as loud as he could. He had beat the Imperius curse yet again.  
  
"Very good Harry. Did all of you see that. Harry fought the curse and won. He didn't do what I told him to. Now, for the rest of you." Before long Sirius had half the class doing wild an silly things like acting like a monkey, dancing in a pink tutu, and trying to juggle cats. The other half of the class had resisted the curse. Ron, Angie, and Hermione were with him in this group. Then Sirius released the rest of the class from his control. "To those of you that beat it, very good. For those of you who didn't, we will try again and again until you do. Now, I want those of you who beat the curse to spar with each other." He conjured up blunted swords for everyone that had beaten the Imperious curse.  
  
Harry picked up the sword. 'A little heavy for my taste,' he decided. He summoned both of his swords that Hagrid had given him for his birthday. He took one and handed the other to Angie, who gratefully accepted it. Then he lifted up his sword and attacked. He started off slow, testing her, finding her weaknesses and trying to utilize them. However, every time he thought he had her, she used a move that caught him off guard. And so the duel progressed.  
  
Both blades began to move faster and faster until all that could be seen were blurs. The sounds however told a different story. Harry and Angie were involved in their duel, they did not notice that everyone had stopped what they were doing and were watching them.  
  
Harry could not find his opening and was getting frustrated. Then he saw a sudden movement. Angie had pulled her wand.  
  
"Expellimarius!" Harry lost his sword to the disarming charm but quickly pulled his own wand.  
  
"Accio Sword! Stupefy!" He yelled these two charms out in succession. He recovered his sword and Angie dodged his stunning spell. The duel grew faster and faster. Only the names of the spells and the 'clangs' of the swords could be heard.  
  
"Forvise!" Harry was heard to yell. Just then Angie flew back and hit the wall. "Stupefy!" Angie did not have enough room to dodge and the spell hit her flat in the chest. She was stunned.  
  
"WOO-HOO!!" The class erupted. "Jeez Harry, that was the best duel I have ever seen! How can you move so fast?"  
  
"Dang Harry, where did you learn that banishing charm? That was bloody brilliant!"  
  
"Wow Harry, I can see why Voldemort wants you dead."  
  
"Harry! Do you think you could teach me that style of sword fighting?"  
  
Harry ignored all the questions and walked over to Angie. "Enervate," he said. She woke up. He smiled at her and she returned his smile. "You did very well Angie. I thought you had me when you pulled your wand."  
  
"Well," she laughed, "I wasn't quite good enough to beat the famous Harry Potter." She drew these last three words out as he moved closer to her. Their faces were less than an inch apart, then they connected. Angie felt so light all of a sudden, then just gave into his kiss. She parted his lips and the kiss became deeper.  
  
"*Cough*, um excuse me, could you two get a room?" Ron had thought this funny until Harry lifted out of the kiss and hit Ron with the same banishing charm he had hit Angie with, sending him flying across the Great Hall. Nobody else dared to say anything as Harry took Angie out of the Great Hall.  
  
Sirius took this time to excuse the class. "Until next time. Thank you all for being good sports today and I will see you in two periods. Good- bye."  
  
The rest of the day was quite fun and Harry especially enjoyed Dumbledore's DADA, and Sirius's Dueling classes. In DADA, Dumbledore had let the students learn to banish gnomes and they had tried it out on the Hogwarts yard. It worked quite well. Dumbledore of course, knew that gnomes weren't naturally evil, but commented that they could do evil things, such as ruin your dinner if they messed with a garden. The class had laughed at this and the fun had begun.  
  
In Dueling they re-learned the disarming charm and stunning charm. These were practiced on their partners over and over until all were sore. It had been fun though, everybody agreed afterwards.  
  
Later that evening, Harry said good-bye to Ron and Hermione, gave a farewell kiss to Angie, and left towards the dungeons, to meet Snape for his detention. He knocked on the door and Snape answered.  
  
"Hello, Potter." Snape had hissed Harry's name. "I will take you out beyond Hogwarts grounds and then apparate with you to an undisclosed location. You will have to run back to Hogwarts. Use the spell "point me" to find the direction. That is all the help I will give you. A tracking charm will be put on you so Dumbledore and I will be watching at all times. Let's go, now!"  
  
He walked out of the room, and Harry followed. They walked a long way, past Hogsmede. They finally stopped at the end of Hogwarts protection charms. Snape apparated them to a mountainous area left Harry there and disaparated back leaving Harry all alone.  
  
"Point me," Harry said and his wand started to spin. It stopped pointing forward and to his right a little. That is the way he started to run. The wind felt good as he jogged along. It cooled him. 'It is a good thing that I have been doing physical exercise in the morning,' Harry thought to himself. He continued on this course for roughly an hour and a half. He stopped for a short rest.  
  
"Grr," Harry heard. He looked around frantically for whatever had made the noise. Then he saw it. It was a dire wolf. These wolves are quite a bit larger than regular wolves and much more aggressive. Harry immediately pulled his wand out of his robes and yelled, "Stivine!" The dire wolf's fur turned to icicles and its feet became frozen to the ground as a blast of artic air blew out from Harry's wand. Harry began to run to get far away from the creature when it broke out of its ice prison.  
  
"Impedimenta!" Harry yelled. His slowing curse hit the dire wolf whose movements became slower, uncoordinated. Harry continued running. Finally, he could not see the beast anymore. He was safe.  
  
He smelt the air. It was moist, rain was coming. 'Good,' he thought, 'I will be cooled. I need to be after that run.' Then it came, it rained harder than he had expected. Each raindrop stung his face but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed being out in the elements. He challenged it with a call, "Is that the best you can do?" Just then there was a flash of light, which blinded him, and he heard a distant roar as all his senses started to fade. He remembered now, he remembered the dream. Just then it started, the voice.  
  
Once thought lost  
  
Never found  
  
Never seen  
  
Always around  
  
Powers old  
  
Long since forgotten  
  
Through you now  
  
Again begotten  
  
'What the?' Harry thought, 'what do you mean.' It only repeated the rhyme. "What does it mean?" he shouted. "WHY ME?!" he shouted one more time before he lost all conciseness. 


	6. A New Awakening

Chapter 6: A New Awakening  
  
"Hello, can you hear me?"  
  
*groan*  
  
"Where am I?" Harry asked, when he opened his eyes. No answer came. He looked around and nobody was there. "Strange, I could've sworn I heard someone ask me - oh never mind." Harry picked himself off the ground where he lay and looked around. He was in a heavily wooded area. 'I know I wasn't here when I blacked out.' He thought to himself. 'Where am I?'  
  
"You are where you are Harry Potter."  
  
"Where are you? Who are you?" Harry asked, suddenly scared.  
  
"As for your first question, I am here." A human stepped out of the woods where he had been concealed. "As to your second question, I am of the Xen'Rasha, and am a druid. My name is Nel'shira"  
  
"A druid - but that race died out a thousand years ago. Killed by a Dark Lord."  
  
"We can still choose to appear to some, Harry Potter, when we want to. As for now, I need to appear to you. I need your help."  
  
"You need my help? You can conceal your presence from anyone you wish and from what I read you command powerful magic, and you need my help?" Harry stressed these last two words.  
  
"Yes, well. This is difficult to explain. I am not alive as you know life. I am merely present in your mind Harry Potter. I can only talk to you when you have lost control of your outer conscience and are merely operating on your inner mind."  
  
"Am I in a coma? Is that why you can talk to me now?"  
  
"Yes, the lighting blast sent your body into a coma. But don't worry; you will wake. Your body sends itself into a coma when trauma occurs because it helps to speed the natural healing process. As for now, I wish to talk to you."  
  
"Okay," said Harry. "What about?"  
  
"About natural and elemental magic. You see, wands were not always around. In fact, wands are not the best way of using magic. To fully learn what magic holds for us, you must embrace the magic. You must channel it through yourself. This is how we druids became so powerful."  
  
"How do I do this? I've never heard of any such thing."  
  
"Patience Harry Potter - "  
  
"Call me Harry, just Harry would you. I really hate it when people call me by my full name."  
  
"Alright, Harry. Well as I was saying you must be patient. I guess that we have two days to learn with each other here. First off, I would like to teach you meditation so that I can contact you again." Nel'shira showed Harry how the proper way to sit for meditation was. "Put both of your knees together and sit on your calves. Good, now fold your hands so that they cross over and form an oval. Good. Now I want you to breathe deeply. Inhale for six seconds exhale for four. Now, I want you to do that over and over until you become aware that it is not taking any effort anymore. The breathing cycle will become natural. Focus on moving this point out to help take a full breath." He pointed to right below Harry's navel. "There, good. Now it should take you about five minutes of that everyday to be able to reach me. Once of course, you understand the pattern. Now lets move on to feeling the magic." Nel'shira went on to explain what magic feels like, what it tastes like, what it smells like. At first Harry couldn't feel it, but he continued to try. Finally he felt a slight tingle in the center of his stomach.  
  
"I felt something," he said. "It sort of tingled in my stomach, in the place where I am supposed to concentrate in meditation."  
  
"Good, what you felt was the nature magic. We will continue this lesson until you can feel it more strongly. Then I will explain how to look for the elemental magic, which is much harder to find and much more powerful."  
  
It took Harry the rest of that day to be able to recognize the feel of the nature magic. "Well done Harry, now before you get your rest, practice some of the mediation I taught you. I want to see your progress and if you remember how to 'loosen' yourself up. Harry concentrated on his breathing after positioning himself sitting on the back of his legs. He counted the cycles of ten seconds over and over again. And then, it all slipped away. He could feel the magic coursing through him, as his conscience slipped. He felt power, the raw pure power of true magic. It filled him until he thought he would explode with it. Suddenly it all ended, and he came out of his trancelike state of mind.  
  
"I felt it Nel'shira. I felt the magic flowing through the Earth itself, flowing through me."  
  
"That is wonderful Harry. What you felt is the Earth magic, one of the elemental sorceries. We will concentrate more on that subject tomorrow. But for now I want you to be able to use the nature magic. Can you feel it Harry?" When Harry nodded in the affirmative Nel'shira continued. "Now harness the magic. Force it to make the plants beneath you grow, force it into the ground beneath you." Harry did so and after he had done this he opened his eyes to see what had happened.  
  
The grass beneath him was a good four inches longer than it had been. "Very good Harry, you can now control basic nature magic. You will eventually be able to speed the growing process of all plants, modify the physical characteristics of plants, and speak to animals. This last one is the hardest to accomplish and is what we druids were most famous for. But for now sleep well Harry, you will need your rest come the morrow."  
  
(A/N I realize that is it strange that Harry sleeps in a coma, but think of it as his mind needing the rest, not his body)  
  
Harry woke up the next day, and after a quick look around found that he was still in the 'dream world' as he began calling it.  
  
"Nel'shira? Are you there?"  
  
"Yes Harry, I am here. Are you ready to begin your elemental training?"  
  
"Yes, I am ready."  
  
"First things first, loosen your mind with meditation, try to feel the elemental magic again." Harry positioned himself and slowly began breathing, counting the seconds. Soon, he felt himself slip out of his busy mind and into his inner conscience. He instantly felt the magic fill him again, felt it coursing through his veins. From somewhere outside of his mind came a faint voice, "Harness that magic Harry. Harness it and use it." He tried to corral the magic he felt inside him, and to his surprise he found that with a little effort he could move some of it to one spot of his body. He moved it to his feet and out into the ground. Then he couldn't concentrate any more and snapped out of his meditation. "Well done Harry!" smiled Nel'shira.  
  
Harry looked at the ground beneath him; it was split. He had split part of the Earth. He smiled as Nel'shira continued. "We need to concentrate on many things before you will be fully able to control the elemental magics. You need to be able to reach that power without the aid of meditation, be able to get the magic to have the effect you want, and to be able to harness the power with little to no effort." Harry and Nel'shira worked on controlling the elemental and natural magic that flow through the body and by the end of the day Harry could control the smallest amount of magic without his wand. He could light dry twigs on fire, put cracks in the earth, call up a breeze, raise the humidity in a certain area, and begin the decaying process in wood. These were baby spells, but Harry had come a long way in learning to control his natural and elemental powers.  
  
"Nel'shira, if I may ask, why are wands not good to use?"  
  
"Because Harry, when you use a wand to cast magic it draws on the natural and elemental magics. However, when a spell is cast, the wand sucks some of the magic into itself, thus making the spell lose its full potential. For instance, when you cast a freezing charm with a wand, the target will feel cold to the point of numbness. However when you cast a freezing charm using the water and air elemental magics the target will be completely encased in a block of ice." He demonstrated on a tree. Harry was amazed.  
  
"So, wands aren't bad, but they do weaken the power of the spell that you cast?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"So why do you want me to bring elemental and nature magic back to the world?" Harry asked confused.  
  
"There is something coming that will require them. I can see the future from this 'dream world' Harry, and I see dark times ahead. I nee to know if you know three people that you would trust with your life. You will require their help."  
  
"I require their help a lot but why in this case if I may ask."  
  
"Certainly you are entitled to the knowledge. There are eight elements Harry, contrary to popular belief. The four known ones are air, earth, fire, and water. The other four are light, shadow, life, and death. Any single person can only control the four basic elements and one of the advanced elements. Each of you will become elemental masters meaning you will each learn the maximum amount of elements possible. You are already learning to control the death element. This is the most volatile and powerful of the elements and I would only trust you to control it. There are only four elemental masters at any given time in the world. You four will be them and will teach all others one element to control. Do not teach anyone you don't trust. You must ascertain your friend's permissions for me to do this. If and when they are ready to learn teach them the meditation I have taught you and they will learn as you have."  
  
"I will try to help, but I don't know how I can do." Harry said.  
  
"If you put your mind to it, Harry Potter, you can do just about anything."  
  
These were the last words he heard as he drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
  
"Will he be alright?"  
  
"Yes, he just had a bit of a shock, actually, quite a large shock. He was hit by lightning."  
  
"Oh my gosh, how long will he be out for?"  
  
"I'd say another day dear."  
  
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow."  
  
Harry's eyes cracked open and he immediately shut them again as the light flooded in. Everything was so bright. Again he cracked his eyes open. He looked around. 'The infirmary,' he thought to himself. 'Great, can I go one year without ending up in this horrid place?' He rolled over and groaned as Madam Pomfrey came rushing to his side.  
  
"Are you alright dear?" she asked him in a sweet voice.  
  
"Yeah, I'm - I'm fine," Harry answered. "Can I get up and get out of here?"  
  
"No sir, you were struck by lighting! You can't just go - go off running into the halls. You have to be careful and be taken care of!"  
  
"Actually, I feel quite alright. Could I please just go?"  
  
"Absolutely n - "  
  
"Let him go Pomfrey," another voice said. Harry looked over towards where the voice came from. Albus Dumbledore. Harry smiled.  
  
"Thanks headmaster," Harry said as he jumped out of bed. "Bye Madam Pomfrey," he added. He ran out the door hoping to find Ron and Hermione soon. He wanted to tell them he was okay, and let them in on his little secret. He headed first to the Great Hall. As he entered he looked towards the Gryfindor table and waved to a few who saw him, he did not stay however as Ron, Hermione, and Angie were not there. His next target was the Library. As he ran through the halls a voice stopped him.  
  
"If it isn't Potter, back up after detention finally? I thought you were weak Potter, but I didn't think that one detention could do you in like that."  
  
"Can it Malfoy," replied Harry coolly. "Before I accidentally hurt you," he added calmly.  
  
"You, hurt me? You make me laugh Potter. You couldn't harm a fly." He said this last bit while taking out his wand. Everybody present saw Harry go into a sort of deep concentration then they jumped as Malfoy started screaming, "HELP ME!" His clothes were on fire. Goyle, showing some intelligence for once conjured a bucket of water and dumped it on Malfoy, putting out the fire, but drenching him at the same time.  
  
"I don't know how you did that Potter! But I'll get you back!" Draco screamed as Harry ran off towards the library, chuckling all the way. As he reached the library doors, he stopped and calmed himself. Then he swung them open.  
  
The sheer size of the library never failed to amaze him. There were thousands, hundreds of thousands of books in rows that went as far as the eye could see. 'Magically enhanced,' thought Harry. 'There is no way that they got this library to fit inside the building itself. He recalled why he was here however and immediately began searching for his friends. He spotted them towards the back near the Restricted Section. He walked hastily towards them.  
  
"Gee Ron, I sure hope that Harry comes out of this okay," he heard from Hermione.  
  
"Oh, he will, I can feel that he is okay." Angie said. "Yeah I'm sure he will, Harry is not one to give up that easily. Besides, do you think he would let Snape have the satisfaction of knowing that he was the cause of Harry's death?"  
  
"Good point Ron, of course I could never do that."  
  
"Harry!" all three said in unison. They rushed forward, Hermione giving him a hug, Ron patting his back, and a Angie giving him a welcome back 'Thank god you are okay' kiss.  
  
"Well Harry, I knew you would pull through."  
  
"Thanks Ron. I'm glad to know that you have faith in my own self- preservation." They all laughed. "Hey, what do you guys say to getting out of the library and going to the common room to chat?"  
  
"Sure, what about Harry?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I just, I just have something to tell you." As they walked out of the Library he quickly grabbed a book and checked it out. Soon, they reached the portrait hole.  
  
"Griffin," it was Ron that gave the password. The portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and said hello to Harry as they all walked in. "So what is it you wanted to tell us, and what is that book you grabbed?"  
  
"Well, to answer your second question first. This book is on meditation, Zen meditation to be more specific. Zen meditation was used by Taoists to calm their inner self. Using this technique they become much more aware of many things, magic and the call of nature to start with. What I wanted to talk to you about, is what happened to me while I was in my coma." He went on to explain all that happened to him in the last two days; everything that he remembered from being hit by lighting to his meeting with Draco in the halls before arriving at the library. They were quiet during his entire explanation, although both let out little gasps of surprise when Harry told them the truth about wands.  
  
Ron couldn't hold in his comments and questions and they all came out in a rush. "So wait, let me get this straight. While you were in a coma a druid contacted you. He told you that wands leach magic and make it less powerful when cast, and taught you how to reach natural and elemental magics so that you can avoid this side effect of wands? And, you will have to use meditation to contact him since you can't just put yourself into a coma repeatedly? Finally, how does this relate to us?"  
  
"Yes Ron, everything that I said happened to me. Wands do leech energy, he showed me the difference. Yes I have to put myself into sort of a trance to reach him, and meditation is the easiest way of doing this. Finally, I can't learn all the elements myself, so I need some help. I plan to teach you three first how to reach this magic. Then we will proceed to Dumbledore and the staff once you have a basic understanding of these new magics and I have a more moderate understanding of them. First, I must teach you meditation. I got this book to assist you." Hermione nearly grabbed the book out of his hands and began reading. "Okay Hermione, you can learn from the book. I'm gonna teach Ron and Angie."  
  
"Fine by me," Hermione answered. "I learn better from books anyway."  
  
"Okay guys, what you have to do is." It took roughly fifteen minutes to explain how to sit and what the absolute basics were. Harry watched Ron as he slowly breathed in and out, controlling all the aspects of his body. Then he saw Ron's body relax and knew that he had fallen into a more relaxed state. "Now, Harry told Ron, start to search for the magic in you." He did likewise to Angie as she relaxed.  
  
After starting Ron and Angie like this Harry saw that Hermione also was in the trance-like state. Finally he did the same and was soon with them in a deep trance. Slowly his vision cleared, though his eyes were closed and he saw Nel'shira approach.  
  
"Ah Harry, you have come back. Not that I didn't think you would, just that, you seem to have so easily attained the relaxed state. That is most peculiar."  
  
"Well, one of the reasons I came back is to tell you that my friends have already agreed and if I read them right they are open to you and your friends now."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Yes, They need your help as I am not yet advanced enough in the magic to teach them."  
  
"That's enough Harry, What are your friend's names by the way?"  
  
"Oh, Ron, Hermione, and Angie."  
  
"Thank you, practice your meditation and the focusing of the sorceries while I cam gone." So Harry did these things and after some time Nel'shira came back. "My friends are beginning to teach Ron and Hermione now. You may return to your world now Harry, I can see that you are weary."  
  
"Yes, I am. Thank you Nel'shira." He bowed then departed by letting his senses feed him information from the outside. When he had completely awakened from his trance he glanced at Ron, Hermione, and Angie. They were all in very deep trances. 'Obviously learning,' Harry thought. Harry would have waited for them to wake, but remembering how long his training took he decided against it and headed up to his dorm. He fell asleep as soon as he hit the sheets.  
  
"Is it done?"  
  
"Yes my lord."  
  
"Good Lucius, now, finally, the world will know my true power, something that I had not attained at the height of my prior reign!"  
  
"My lord, what do you plan to do to "educate" the world about your return?"  
  
"Patience Lucius, I will not stupidly go burning towns this time. I will not let them prepare. I believe I will open with a 'Bang.'" Voldemort laughed evilly, his red eyes bright in the dark room.  
  
"My Lord!" Another rushed into the room. "All is set and ready to go!" he said bowing.  
  
"Good, this time, Potter will not escape me. This time, he will die. Wormtail!"  
  
"Yes my lord?" asked a small man standing off to the side of the room.  
  
"Is your part of the job done?"  
  
"Yes my lord, but I must ask, is killing Harry Potter necessary my lord?"  
  
"YES! Have you learned nothing Wormtail? The prophecy! Potter must be killed by his last year of Hogwarts! For your weakness of mind! CRUCIO!"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHH!" Wormtail screamed in pain.  
  
Harry woke up sweating, his scar bleeding. "Voldemort," he whispered, "I must tell Dumbledore. Harry cautiously got out of bed, not wanting to wake the others. He grabbed his invisibility cloak from among his things and donned it. Then he stepped out of the Gryfindor common room and hurried towards the headmaster's office holding his forehead all the way.  
  
Harry reached the gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office and Quarters. "Damn, I don't know the password, ummm. Bernie Bott's Every Flavored Beans." Nothing. "Licorice Sticks." Nothing. "Jelly Beans, Snickers, Chocolate Frogs, Baby Ruth's!" the gargoyle sprang aside. "Baby Ruth's? That man is getting more and more crazy." Harry ran up the stairs and knocked on the headmaster's door.  
  
The door slowly opened and revealed Dumbledore in his nightgown. "Yes Harry, what is it?"  
  
"Professor, I had a dream."  
  
That was all it took. Dumbledore ushered Harry inside and set him on a chair, conjured up some coffee for the both of them, cleaned Harry's scar and then asked, "What was it about Harry?"  
  
"Well, Voldemort is planning something, something big, my death to be exact. Not that that really helps us, he's been planning that since I was one. But this time it's different, he was, elated, like he finally had me. And he said something about a prophesy."  
  
Dumbledore's eyebrows raised a bit at this news, but quickly lowered into their natural positions. "Hmm, this is interesting Harry, but for now, go back to sleep. I must console with the rest of the staff and the "old crowd'." This last bit was added quietly.  
  
Harry took this as his dismissal and left the headmaster's office and headed back up to the Gryfindor Common Room. There, he decided to reach Nel'shira. He sat on the floor, and went into a deep trance. "Nel'shira, I need to talk to you. Nel'shira?"  
  
"I am here Harry, and am glad you have come. I know already about the dream you just had." Harry looked a little surprised at this news. "Now, it is time for you to know."  
  
"Know what Nel'shira?"  
  
"The future Harry, the future." Nel'shira muttered one word under his breath and Harry felt as though he was hit by a freight train. It happened so fast, but he saw it all as if in slow motion. A spell, a fight, and a bright green flash of light, then blackness. "Now you know Harry, now you know what you must do."  
  
Harry could only stare in wide-eyed fear and nod his head. "Yes, Nel'shira, I know." 


	7. New Room and Dueling

Chapter 7: New Rooms and Dueling  
  
Harry woke up the next morning. He was more tired than he had ever been in his entire life. He felt like a zombie walking down to breakfast, and was sure he looked like one too. He could almost feel the huge bags underneath his eyes. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night, not after, seeing the future.  
  
"Harry? Are you ok?" It was Angie; she was looking at him, and looking very concerned.  
  
"I'm fine!" Harry snapped. He changed his course from the Great Hall to the library. He needed something. A book, yes, that was what it was, an old book. He headed off with determination. Angie, looking hurt, went off to find Hermione.  
  
Harry entered the library and immediately headed towards the back. He was being drawn to a book and could only vaguely see where it was he was heading. His entire focus was on the book. Too late he realized that he had entered the restricted section, he almost stopped, but the pull was too strong. He walked down many aisles to the very back of the restricted section. can't believe I just waltzed on back here.' Finally, after  
  
'I am going to be in so much trouble,' he thought. 'I minutes of walking down endless rows and aisles he stopped. In front of him was a bookcase full of what Harry knew were the oldest books still in existence. His gaze went past many of the books and stopped on an old tome. His hand involuntarily reached out and he clasped the tome. He read the title off the spine, The Powers of Death. Harry flipped it over to see its cover. What he saw almost made him drop the book, a skull of the whitest bone stared out at him, locked in a screaming pose. Shaking, Harry opened to tome.  
  
  
  
If you are reading this now then you are among the few gifted with the powers of the death element. It is by far the most powerful of all the elements, yet also the most dangerous to wield. Death does not discriminate, it cannot distinguish friend from foe, and thus its wielder must always have full control over every spell cast. Death is power, pure, raw, power.  
  
  
  
Harry stopped reading. He was frightened, no not frightened, terrified, 'is it true? Do I have that much power?' He had just walked right into the restricted section of the library, that alone was enough to get 200 points taken from Gryfindor and detentions for the rest of the month. Then he had grabbed a book off the shelf, probably doubling his punishment, and read it. He knew that this was grounds for expulsion from Hogwarts.  
  
'Oh my god, what am I gonna do?' Instinct took a hold of him right then as he heard voices.  
  
"He ran this way headmaster." It was Filch, with Dumbledore.  
  
"Right, Minerva, take those aisles."  
  
'Jesus! McGonnagal too?!' Harry ran. He ran faster than he had ever run before, his robes whipping around behind him. As he ran blindly through the endless rows he shrunk the book, and donned his hood so that he could not be recognized. 'I'm never gonna get out of this one -' he thought as he ran. 'I have to get out unseen!' This last thought was almost a plea for help.  
  
"Meow."  
  
Harry stopped, in front of him was Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat. 'Oh shit.'  
  
"Headmaster! Professor! Mrs. Norris found him! This way!" Harry could hear Filch closing the distance and he took off again. He ran as though his very life depended on it, and in a way, it did. It seemed he had been running for an eternity within those long rows when he saw it, the exit of the restricted section. Harry picked up his lagging pace with a renewed vigor and sprinted out of the restricted section, with Dumbledore, McGonnagal, and Filch right behind him.  
  
Then Harry felt it, he was being pulled again, like when he was after the book. The pull was taking him straight to the wall, where a tapestry depicted the four founders of Hogwarts. As Harry neared, his pursuers exited the Restricted section. Harry saw the image of Godric Gryfindor shiver and at the same time heard in the back of his mind Dumbledore shouting,  
  
"Stupefy!" Harry dove, and braced himself for the impact he was expecting. It never came. After a minute or so of laying on the ground, Harry dared to look up. What he saw startled him. He was lying on the floor of a room, a study by the look of it. He had escaped.  
  
*********  
  
After recovering from the shock that he had escaped from Dumbledore Harry decided to explore this room. He saw that opposite the 'entrance' was a door. However the two walls on the sides of the entranced were lined with bookshelves, and these were filled with books quite possibly as old as the one he was now carrying. Arrayed in the room were two couches which, when tested, were found to be quite comfortable. Harry also noted a desk off to the side of the room. Taking this all in Harry realized that he was in a secret room of Hogwarts. So secret in fact, that not even the Marauders had found it. Harry whistled. After lying on one of the couches for a little time he decided to see what the next room held in store.  
  
He walked in and to his surprise he found a dueling room. Along the wall in front of him were many different types of weapons, everything from halberds to scimitars. Harry also noticed that the wall to his right was lined with bookcases, bookcases that were filled to the brink with spell books. After a cursory examination of the titles of the books, he found that most dealt with battle spells, a few with defensive spells, and a few with healing. The left wall was decorated with old suits of armor and another door stood in the center of this wall. The most awing thing in the room however, was the dueling ring in the center. It was a perfect dueling ring, and after a little playing around with, Harry found that it could summon an imaginary opponent of any skill the user set. After toying with this for a little Harry proceeded to the next room.  
  
What he found was a little scary, but overall, quite nice. It was a potions laboratory. There were numerous tables on which were cauldrons, vials, and stoppers. The forward and left walls were lined with potion ingredients, both rare ones and not so rare ones. Harry found crushed dragon bone, unicorn tail hair, wyvern's blood, crushed anaconda scales, and much, much more. There were also a few books on these shelves, obviously dealing with different potions. Harry finally moved his eyes to the right side of the room where he noticed some more potion ingredients and yet another door. He cautiously walked through.  
  
What he saw dropped his jaw. Along the walls of this room were portraits, beginning with Godric Gryfindor himself, and ending with -  
  
'Oh my god! DAD?!' The last portrait smiled out at Harry and waved as James recognized his son. Then the portrait of James pointed towards the center of the room where stood a half column, and on top of that lay a scroll. Harry proceeded to the scroll carefully and lifted it up. He half expected a boulder to come crashing down like in the Indiana Jones's movies Dudley watched. When nothing happened, he unrolled the scroll and began to read.  
  
  
  
You have found this room, as all have before you. You now are worthy of knowing the truth. My name is Godric Gryfindor and you are my heir. I created this room with the founding of Hogwarts for my heir, much as Salazar created the Chamber of Secrets. In this room I have stored all my books, all my knowledge. The books of this place contain knowledge of long lost elemental powers, potions, wand spells, and martial arts.  
  
You are more than likely the only one who knows of this room and only you and those you specifically invite may enter. You must re-extend your invitation every time you wish for others to enter.  
  
In the study there is a circle in the right top corner. If you stand within this circle you can say the name of any room within Hogwarts and instantly be teleported there. Also, you will be given the option of choosing a physical mark that will allow you to teleport back to this room at a whim. Use this room and its contents wisely, and never take anything from these rooms out of these rooms.  
  
One last thing. As my heir you are entitled to special powers. These powers consist of being able to understand any language and speak it fluently; this includes written and spoken languages. Another power is that you will be able to use wandless magic as much as you want and it may be easier than magic with a wand, depending on the person. Finally, the most powerful ability you will have is the ability to shape-shift. As a shape-shifter you will be able to change into anything you wish, other people, animals, even plants, and non-living things such as rocks.  
  
To gain these powers place the palm of your hand against the bottom of this parchment, on top of the three dots.  
  
  
  
Harry didn't take long to make his decision and he firmly planted the palm of his hand against the dots at the bottom of the page, then he screamed as extreme pain racked his body. The last thing he felt was power flowing through him, power he had never had before. Harry blacked out.  
  
************  
  
"What in the?! Where did he go?!" Dumbledore nearly screamed in frustration. "He just ran straight into that wall. There is nothing there! Gods!"  
  
"Dumbledore, I have searched the restricted section and there is one book missing. The Powers of Death. This book was not readable, but that is what is missing. Perhaps you know what the book was about?" Madam Pince asked.  
  
"Yes I do, hmmm, this does not bode well. Tell Filch to leave his cat here to guard the tapestry. If anything comes or any new news is found, alert me immediately. I must contact some friends about this," replied Dumbledore thoughtfully. "If he shows up again, do not let him escape, and keep checking to make sure nothing else was taken." With that Dumbledore ran off through the door and down the hall.  
  
***********  
  
"So he just yelled that he was okay and then ran off towards the library?" Hermione asked inquisitively.  
  
"Yes, he just - ran off, almost as if something was pulling him," was Angie's reply.  
  
"Angie, I'm sure he wasn't snappy on purpose," Said Hermione trying to console her friend. "Let's see if we can find him. With that they headed off towards the library. They were rounding the last corner before the library doors when Dumbledore came flying around and bowled into Hermione knocking her over.  
  
"Hermione! I'm sorry, I'm just in a hurry," Dumbledore said. He helped her up, muttered another word of apology and took off again at a run.  
  
"That was - weird," was all Hermione could say. "His eyes weren't twinkling," noted Angie, "there must be something really wrong."  
  
"Yeah, I just hope its not Harry, Dumbledore came from the library." With that they both took off, regarding decency and ran through the doors of the library at a full sprint, where Angie almost crashed into Professor McGonnagal.  
  
"Girls! Slow down. What is your rush?"  
  
"Oh, we uh, we were looking for Harry, we thought that he had come here. You haven't seen him by any chance have you?" asked Angie hopefully.  
  
"No," replied McGonnagal quickly, then muttered under her breath, "unless he was the culprit."  
  
"What professor?"  
  
"Nothing, now get out of the library. We have had a - slight problem. Go back to the common room."  
  
Angie and Hermione walked off towards the common room. "I'll bet you my copy of Hogwarts: A History that Harry was that 'culprit' McGonnagal muttered under her breath," said Hermione.  
  
"Yeah," Angie had to agree, "I just hope he doesn't get caught. That was some search party they had in there. I counted ten teachers. And that was after Dumbledore left."  
  
"Yeah, let's go find Ron." With that they sprinted off towards the Gryfindor common room.  
  
***********  
  
Harry woke with a groan.  
  
"Where am I?" He took a quick glance around and remembered the room. "Oh, well at least I'm not in the hospital wing. As he got up he noticed that something was different, he felt different. He conjured a mirror with a wave of his wand and gasped at what he saw. The teenage boy with black ruffled hair, green eyes, and a scar on his forehead was not staring back at him. Instead there was a man with short-cut, spiked, frosted, hair and a completely normal face was. Harry examined this person more closely and realized that this man was completely average and would not extract undo attention. Nobody pays attention to a man that has nothing outstanding about him. Well, unless they saw his eyes. Harry felt weak as he stared into those eyes, almost as if they were hypnotizing him. They were a deep gray, with gold around the edges, and they seemed to - spin. Harry dragged himself away from the mirror and took a look at his new form.  
  
'Wow, this is so cool, must be my ability as a shape-changer. Okay, now how to get back?' Harry imagined himself back in his own body and he immediately transformed back into his old self. He tried this transformation a few more times and quickly mastered it. Then he tried other things. Harry found that with a little effort he could transform into anything he wanted. He tried animals and could form into a phoenix, griffon, and a stag by the end of a half-hour. Delighted with this new power he attempted spells without a wand, and to his delight found that it was easier to cast them without a wand than it was with one.  
  
Then, remembering the book, he returned to the study. He picked up the book, lay down on a couch and opened to the first page and continued from where he had left off:  
  
  
  
The use of the death element requires a very steady and organized mind. It also requires a great deal of power from the mage to back it. Once a candidate is found that has both of these qualities, training can begin. It starts off simple, decaying and rotting plants. However, as the user becomes more powerful, these same things can be applied to animals and humans. It is whispered among the most powerful that once in complete and utter control of this element the master can simply tell something or someone to die and they will. However, it is also rumored that to come into complete control of death one must meet death, and live.  
  
Many have tried to gain complete control but it said that the only person who has ever achieved this feat was the great Merlin himself, after defeating the Dread Lord Xaviori and his summoned Daemon, Slannesh.  
  
Many death elementals have been accused of being necromancers, which is not quite true. Yes, many have power over death and can raise the dead, but they do not study death, as the name necromancers implies, they study the element itself. Thus they improve their powers.  
  
The death element can be combined with any of the four basic elements to strengthen them. Turning a tidal wave into a tsunami, a blaze into a raw firestorm, a magnitude 3 earthquake to one of magnitude 10. Unfortunately, many death elementals become full of their power and decide to become evil. Yes, this is why the death elementals are the most powerful, and most feared.  
  
However, people need not fear all death elementals as two prime examples of good ones were Merlin and Godric Gryfindor. These two men used their power over death to defeat many dark lords of their times. We can only hope that in the future the death elementals will realize that their power is better used for good than evil.  
  
Harry stopped reading. 'Good god. That is a lot of power. Raising the dead, conquering death itself? How am I gonna do that? Nel'shira.' Harry entered a meditative trance as he contacted the druid.  
  
"Nel'shira? Nel'shira I need to talk to you. I got the book, and I need your help understanding."  
  
"I am here Harry, what did you need help with?"  
  
"I need to learn how to conquer death itself so that I can master my element."  
  
"Ah, yes, now that is a problem. I believe that the answer lies within your book. A specific spell, though it is harder than any other spell to cast, it requires so much energy, that most will die before completing it."  
  
Harry whistled, "Thank you for the warning and hint Nel'shira. I'm gonna find that spell, no matter the cost. This may be the only way to defeat Voldemort."  
  
Harry exited his trance and began looking through The Powers of Death for any spell that could possibly help him defeat death itself. After a couple hours of searching Harry took his eyes off of the tome for long enough to see the time. "Holy crap! It's past midnight!" Harry nearly jumped off the couch and ran to the corner circle that the scroll had mentioned.  
  
"The Gryfindor Common Room," Harry stated. The world seemed to disappear and then reappear right in front of him, and he was standing right outside of the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Quaffle," Harry said, and he entered the common room as the portrait opened. The first thing he saw were three pairs of eyes glaring daggers at him.  
  
'Great. just what I need, a good lecture,' he thought to himself.  
  
"HARRY JAMES POTTER! Where have you been?! Do you realize that it is past midnight! I - WE have been worried sick about you!" screamed Hermione, Ron and Angie nodding their heads in agreement.  
  
"Okay, I know how late it is, but I just found that out two minutes ago. I had a little - mishap today."  
  
"Could that 'mishap' possible have anything to do with why the teachers were swarming the library today, practically brushing it with a toothbrush?" Angie asked, conviction in her eyes.  
  
"Uh - yeah, that. Umm - well, where to start."  
  
"At the beginning." This time it was Ron who had spoken.  
  
"The beginning, okay. Well I woke up this morning after having a dream last night. I ran and told Dumbledore. The dream was about Voldemort. He was planning something big. I don't know exactly what though. Then I went back to sleep and got up late, as you all know. Well, I was heading down to the Great Hall when I met you Angie. I snapped at you, and I'm so sorry for that. I was very tired. Anyway, after that I was being drawn to something. I couldn't really control myself and didn't even realize it until too late that I had just waltzed into the restricted section. Anyway, I found the book that I was being pulled to, grabbed it and ran. Dumbledore, McGonnagal, Filch, and Mrs. Norris were after me. I actually ran into Mrs. Norris but had my hood down so she didn't see me." This brought gasps from Ron, Hermione, and Angie.  
  
"Well, I ran faster because Filch had heard Mrs. Norris and now they were after me. I ran straight to a wall under instinct and just ran right through it, into a secret room that I'm sure no one knew about before, not event eh Marauders. I explored the place, it is a series of four rooms, a study, dueling room, potions laboratory, and a last room. It was in this last room that I found out something. Everybody - I am the heir of Gryfindor." This announcement brought shocked gasps and 'oh my god's' from the three listening. Harry continued.  
  
"Anyway, I gained some new powers, among which are my ability to talk to animals now and I can now do wandless magic." He left out the part of him being able to shape-shift. That part only he would know about. "I spent the rest of the day reading the book that I 'stole' from the library and training with Nel'shira. I didn't realize how late it was until I came out of a trance. I'm really sorry guys, but that is what happened."  
  
He looked up to find all of the staring at him goggled-eyed, with mouths hanging open, Ron drooling. "Good God," it was Ron who had spoken, "You went through a lot today. You need to rest.  
  
Harry nodded his head in agreement, "Yes I do, and so do you all, I've kept you up late."  
  
They all got up to leave but as Ron and Hermione started up the stairs Harry stopped Angie.  
  
"I'm so sorry about this morning, and - the whole day really. You must have been really worried, what with the intruder and all."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I really was worried Harry. Please don't do that again. Don't disappear like that again, I don't know what I would've done if." Harry silenced her with a kiss. She kissed him back, and pulled him onto the nearest couch, where they spent the next five minutes in bliss, ignorant to everything around them, absorbed only in each other. Finally, Harry broke the embrace and sent her to bed with one last 'I'm sorry.'  
  
She looked a little disappointed but headed up to her dorm anyway. Harry ruffled his hair and walked up to his dormitory, thinking of what could've been if he had just given in.  
  
**********  
  
The next morning Harry woke to find his trio of friends waiting for him in the common room.  
  
"Want to go get some breakfast together?" asked Angie.  
  
"Sure," answered Harry, "then I can show you guys my room."  
  
"Well let's get moving then!" said Hermione impatiently. Harry just laughed. Once down at the Great Hall Harry and Ron began talking about more pranks to play on the other houses. Angie listened in and offered her own ideas. Hermione surprisingly didn't say anything to the effect of 'you shouldn't be playing pranks, you're prefects' and actually nodded and smiled a few times at some of the ideas thrown out.  
  
Harry, Ron, and Angie all agreed on a prank. They would rig the Great Hall entrance so that anyone who walked through would come out on the other side with maroon and gold hair, the colors of Gryfindor. They would also involuntarily start singing a song about how great Gryfindor was. Then the whole thing would be set up to look like a job of the Weasley twins. They decided to set everything up before dinner. But for now, they would head up to 'the study' as Harry had termed it.  
  
They finished eating and Harry led his friends to the library, where they walked to a table next to the tapestry which contained the hidden entrance. One by one, starting with Harry, they slipped inside. Nobody saw them.  
  
Ron was the first in and could only stare in wonder at how cool the room was. "Wow Harry, this is awesome!" He immediately wanted to explore, but Harry calmed him.  
  
"We gotta wait for the others." Angie and Hermione stepped into the room after a little time and Harry showed them around the main room. Hermione asked if she could read the books after the formal tour of the place. Harry only smiled and nodded.  
  
Harry led Ron, Angie, and Hermione through the dueling room and potions lab. Then he led them into the final room, the room of the heirs. Hermione gasped, Ron whistled, and Angie just looked around in wonder.  
  
"Wow, there are so many," Angie commented.  
  
"Yeah, well, there used to be a lot of heirs of Gryfindor. Not many anymore eh?" He tried to smile a bit but the context of his words was too sad.  
  
"Harry -" said Angie comforting him.  
  
"I'm fine Angie. I just want - want to be normal - have a normal year for once!" anger started welling in Harry's chest. He clinched his fist and punched the wall. Harry didn't even flinch as the cold stone cut his skin, he simply applied a small healing charm to his hand. With that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Angie headed back to the main room of 'the study.'  
  
When they had reached it Harry began, "Okay, first things first. NOTHING - EVER - may be taken outside of this room. It is all too valuable and would be a dead giveaway to someone like Dumbledore that we have a room like this. Secondly, you must NEVER tell anyone else about this room. No slipping up, accidents of that sort on this topic will not suffice. Also, you will not be able to access this room without me in here first, and then I must give permission as each of you enters. Finally, don't be too liberal about giving away knowledge, especially spells, that are found in this room. They may give us away.  
  
"Now, for the fun part. This room is where we will plan all pranks and such from now on. Also, we will practice dueling and developing our elemental powers here. Nobody will know. Finally, I plan on setting up a large spy network in Hogwarts." There were a couple gasps of surprise. "I want to keep an eye on people like Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. People who's fathers have a reputation. I want to try to prevent people from turning to Voldemort's side. Therefore, I need all of you to get contacts in other houses. I need to find people we can trust. I'm sure we can do that. I'll find the one from Slytheran. Ron, take Ravenclaw. Angie and Hermione, take Hufflepuff, then help Ron if he has not found anyone yet, preferably two from each house. Report to me immediately when you have found someone."  
  
"Harry, isn't this - a little - dangerous?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Yes, extremely - in fact - I believe I could be expelled for it. Which is the reason we need trustworthy sources. I know that none of you will give it away. Besides, these sources will not know anyone involved except those who recruited them. By the way, I wanted to name this organization we are going to create, The Order Of The Phoenix. Sound good?"  
  
"Yeah, but why phoenix?" asked Ron.  
  
"Because a phoenix will never turn evil, like us. We will never turn from the light."  
  
"Alright!" exclaimed Angie, "This sounds exciting! Let's do it!" Harry chuckled. "By the way, we have to set up that prank." She smiled evilly.  
  
"Wait, said Harry. You all need to get something that will allow you to teleport back to this room at any time. You will also be able to teleport to any room of the castle by standing in this circle and speaking your destination. All four chose what physical mark they wanted. Harry chose a tattoo of a phoenix defeating a basilisk. Ron chose a tattoo of a ring of fire around his arm. Angie chose to get a tattoo of an ankh with the loop of the ankh around her navel. Hermione got to top of her ears pierced. After that was done, they all teleported to the Great Hall and began to prepare for their best prank to date.  
  
***********  
  
The Hall began to fill with people as the students and teachers came in for dinner. Dumbledore clapped and the food appeared. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Angie began to eat as if nothing spectacular was about to happen. About five minuets into dinner everybody jumped up out of their seats as a roar shook the castle. From the ceiling above the Great Hall came a dragon. It swooped down low over the Slytherans, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws breathing fire. Everybody screamed, and could only stare in shock as the fire didn't burn them. However, anyone who had been engulfed in the flame had become a clown. Almost everyone in the other houses began to dance around the hall, playing circus music, juggling, performing amazing acts of balance, and even sword eating. All of the Gryfindors and those of the other houses who weren't engulfed were lying on the ground in hysterics. Even the Slytherans and the Staff table found the sight very funny and were laughing out loud. Soon everything was reversed and people in ever house were talking about the prank, even though they did not know who played it.  
  
When desert came out the platters did not appear on the table, instead, they appeared resting on top of shocked student's heads. The hall broke into more laughter as the puddings, cakes, and ice cream that they had been expecting were not there. Instead, out of every dish popped out dancing animals. There were everything from ducks to lions. The animals formed a line and started dancing the can-can. All students and faculty were now on the ground, rolling, laughing so hard. Finally, the animals disappeared and all that was left was a large symbol.  
  
IT WON'T COME OUT RIGHT! GRRR!  
  
This was the new sign of the quartet. They decided that they would from now on leave this mark where they 'struck'. All of the students and faculty now stared at the mysterious symbol wondering what it meant. The quartet decided to take this time of distraction to congratulate themselves on their best prank yet.  
  
**********  
  
After dinner the quartet headed up towards the Gryfindor Common room with mischievous grins plastered onto their faces. As they entered they found everyone still talking. Fred and George could only shake their heads in amazement at the monstrosity of the prank played as they had not done it. Harry and his friends grinned.  
  
The four split up as Ron went to play chess, Hermione went off and grabbed a book, Harry sat down on the couch relaxing, and Angie came over and sat next to him. "Harry," said Angie, "we have classes again tomorrow. I don't want to go," she complained.  
  
"I know!" said Harry agreeing with her. "I don't want to go either. But we do have dueling!" He smiled.  
  
Ron hearing him said, "Yeah, I might actually do well in that class now!" he chuckled, and Hermione said something along the lines of 'you were never bad in that class.'  
  
That night all four went to sleep and dreamed of the master prank they had played that night. All were well rested when they woke in the morning. They met in the common room and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. After a nutritious breakfast of pancakes dripping with syrup, eggs, and bacon, they headed towards their first class of the day, potions.  
  
Ron summed up all their feelings, "Is this class really necessary to the curriculum?" Potions however, was quite uneventful. To the quartets surprise Gryfindor had only lost forty points during that class period.  
  
"Stupid git," said Ron vehemently after coming out of the classroom, "he knew my potion wasn't done, and he still tested it and took off points for it not working."  
  
"Ron," said Hermione putting her hand on his shoulder, "we know, it's alright. On the good side, we do have defense now."  
  
The quartet reached the defense/dueling room quickly and chose four front row seats. Slowly the rest of the class leaked in.  
  
"Hello class," began Sirius, "today I'm happy to announce that the school will be starting a dueling/defense tournament." This news was greeted with a mixed reply, some clapped and cheered, others, such as Neville, groaned. "I will be sorting you into one of two classes, the A and B classes. I will decide what class you belong in by how well you do when you duel, with me." A wave of groans sweat through the class and Sirius cracked a grin.  
  
"Angie, you will be first, followed by Dean Thomas, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil, Lavender Brow, Hermione Granger, and finally Harry. Alright come on up Angie."  
  
Angie walked tentatively up to the stage and faced her teacher. "We bow," said Sirius, "and begin." He fired the disarming charm at Angie who nimbly dodged it and fired one of her own back. Sirius dodged and at the same time shouted, "stupefy!"  
  
Angie shouted, "Caudex præbia!" and a shield was erected in front of her and the stunning spell just dissipated as it hit the shield. Sirius was slightly stunned that she knew this spell and was hit by Angie's next spell, the disarming charm. However, as it left his hand he reached out and grabbed it saving himself from a loss.  
  
"Desitegratia!" yelled Sirius. The spell headed right for Angie and as it hit her shield it disappeared and took Angie's shield with it.  
  
'I need to end this,' thought Angie and she scattered seeds on the ground using a charm. Sirius completely baffled by what she did, just stared at her. That was his last mistake of the duel. Angie began muttering, not many knew what she was doing, and the three others were sitting in the front row. Angie had called upon her element, and in seconds the seeds sprouted and completely engulfed Sirius, pinning him to the ground. Angie walked over to him and took his wand from his hand.  
  
She then released Sirius from the plants and without hesitation he announced that she was to be placed into the 'A' group, to no ones surprise. "Very well done," he complemented her, and she returned to her seat. Dean was placed into the 'B' group, followed by Ron who made it to the 'A' group after very nearly beating Sirius. Hermione, also made it to the 'A' group. And finally it came time for Harry's duel.  
  
Harry sighed in the realization that what was going to happen would only bring him more attention than before, and he walked up to the stage.  
  
"I'm not going to be easy on you Harry," the words came from Sirius.  
  
"It doesn't matter Sirius, go as hard as you want." Harry smiled at his godfather's obvious concern. Then he bowed, and before he had even stood all the way back up hit Sirius a shaky legs hex. Sirius tried to remove the hex but Harry yelled, "Wingardium Levosa!" Sirius had not been expecting this at all and panicked as he rose higher into the air. He was desperately trying to remember the counter-charm. "Forvise!" Harry yelled, and the floating Sirius was blown back into the wall. Within the next second Harry hit Sirius with 'stivine', freezing him, and 'expellimarius.' Harry had won the duel.  
  
The class gaped. Even his friends couldn't hide their surprise. Sirius had not even gotten off one spell. Harry unfroze Sirius and apologized to him, but Sirius wouldn't have it.  
  
"Harry, that was, amazing. You have no need to apologize." Then more loudly he said to the rest of the class, "Harry, as you no doubt know already, is in the 'A' class."  
  
The rest of the day went smoothly. In DADA, they learned about vampires, and Dumbledore said that they would be continuing that subject for one week. In dueling Harry and Angie practiced their battle and healing spells. Harry, was not in a good mood however, because after word of his fight with Sirius inevitably leaked, he was everyone's hero - again. 


	8. When Voldemort Attacks

Chapter 8: Halloween  
  
Harry stood in the dueling ring. He faced his opponent and evaluated him. His name was Stan Wilkens, a 7th year Hufflepuff. He was thin and Harry guessed that he would be good at avoiding spells and such. But, he wouldn't be a problem. Harry bowed to his opponent.  
  
"Expellimarius!" Stan yelled. Harry dodged the spell easily; it wasn't aimed well and then responded with his own spell.  
  
"Glacious!" The temperature of the room suddenly dropped and his opponent's actions became slower, his nerves numbing. Harry then cast a quick warming charm on himself and hoped that his opponent wouldn't think to. Harry followed his spell up with, "Skade Smerte!" aiming at Stan's hand.  
  
"OWW!" yelled Stan as he grasped his hand, dropping his wand accidentally.  
  
"Harry saw his opportunity and yelled, "Accio wand!" Stan's wand came flying towards Harry and he caught it, ending the duel. Harry bowed to Stan who grudgingly did the same.  
  
Cheers erupted from the stands.  
  
"Good job Harry!"  
  
"Nice try Stan, you'll get him next time!"  
  
"Nice pain curse Harry!"  
  
"Quick thinking man!"  
  
Harry sighed. He didn't want the attention, but neither did he want to lose a duel he knew he could win, with both hands tied behind his back. His and his friends powers had grown considerably in the month that had passed. He decided against showing his elemental powers in this duel. In fact, if it could be helped, he wouldn't use his elemental powers in any of his duels. He didn't want unnecessary questions. He advised Ron, Hermione, and Angie to do the same. They had all agreed.  
  
Harry spotted his friends in the stands and gave them a slight nod, they all understood what it meant: meet in the study. And so, Harry left the room and teleported to the study, a minute later his friends followed.  
  
"Very nice duel Harry, well fought, well won," commented Angie.  
  
"Thanks Angie, I really wish that I didn't get so much attention when I win though."  
  
"Well, attention can't be avoided win you win a duel against another student two years ahead of you," added Ron.  
  
"That is true," vouched Hermione smiling.  
  
"Oh well, what are we gonna do today guys?" Harry asked them, smiling mischievously.  
  
"Well," replied Ron, "we do need to practice more with our elemental powers."  
  
"Yes," said Harry thoughtfully, "Nel'shira told me to have us all trained to a high level as quickly as possible." Harry lowered his head; he along with Nel'shira alone knew what was approaching. And Harry knew the day was rapidly approaching.  
  
Harry had been secretly training. Every other night he would slip out of his bed and teleport to the study. There he would stay up until three and work with the book, The Powers of Death, and learn more and more about his element, and new spells. He was far more accomplished than he let even his friends believe, who thought that Harry was but a little more powerful than they were. Oh how wrong they were thought Harry often. He felt bad about hiding his true power from them, but they could not know what he was capable of, especially of his inherent abilities as heir of Gryfindor.  
  
'God, I wonder what is wrong with Harry?' Angie asked herself. She had often noticed that Harry drifted off into his own thoughts. And when he did, she could see that he was troubled. She had made up her mind a week ago to talk to him about it, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. At that moment Harry looked up and saw Angie, and she was reassured by his grin.  
  
"So," Hermione began, "can I look through your books for something to help me with my light powers?"  
  
"Sure 'Mione," came Harry's reply. Then seeing the others looking at him he added, "Yes, you two can as well." He smiled at their grins. Harry had never imagined that Ron would willingly pick up a book, but Harry found that his friend read earnestly when it came to training his powers.  
  
Harry watched them all pick out their own books and waited until they had slipped into the knowledge that those books contained. Then he stepped into the next room, the dueling room. He conjured an opponent and began to practice using his death element, and that alone to fight the enemy. Considering that Harry had only known that he was a death elemental for a month. In fact, even Nel'shira had been surprised by his progress. 'Soon,' he had told Harry, 'you will be a master, maybe faster than even I thought.'  
  
Harry did not dwell on this however and began to use his death element to hold back the illusion. He started off by creating a sort of void between himself and his opponent, which would leach any magic that was tainted by a wand. Then he started on an attack that would leach away his opponent's power, weakening him far faster than just dueling would have, and actually making him weaker permanently. After finishing this spell, he conjured a sword using wandless magic, and went about cutting his illusion to shreds. When it was all over, Harry did it again. The magic came easier and easier to him every time. And Harry wanted to be able to harness that power in a split second decision.  
  
It was roughly an hour later that Harry tired and decided to stop for the day. He walked back into the main room and found all of his friends still deep in their studies, and practicing light amounts of their elements. Harry clapped his hands loudly, and all three looked up at him.  
  
"Ron, I believe you and I have a little bit of planning to do for tomorrow," Harry said slyly as Angie and Hermione regarded him strangely.  
  
"Yes," answered Ron, also slyly, "I believe we do." With that Harry and Ron stepped into the fourth room of the study, the room of heirs.  
  
*************  
  
"Okay, so do you have the spell down Ron?" Harry asked him.  
  
"Yes, I think I can now do it with my eyes closed and my body half asleep," replied Ron.  
  
Harry chuckled. "Alright, tomorrow right before the dance, we will do it."  
  
"Alright, meet me in our dorm at five o' clock."  
  
"Alright," came Harry's reply, "I'll be there." With that they walked back out of the room of heirs and stumbled upon Angie and Hermione in the dueling ring, they were practicing for their up and coming fights. Hermione was clearly winning, that is until Angie threw an energy beam at her. Hermione found herself on the ground, barely being able to avoid the spell. Angie took control of the advantage now presented to her.  
  
"Stivine!" Angie yelled, effectively freezing Hermione. After hitting Hermione with the spell, Angie walked over and simply plucked Hermione wand from her hand. Then she unfroze Hermione and handed her back her wand.  
  
"Good job Angie," said Hermione.  
  
"Thanks," came the reply, "you did very well yourself. I just barely got you with that spell."  
  
"Yeah, I know," said Hermione. "Your energy beam scared me there for a second," she added laughing.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I probably shouldn't have used so powerful a spell eh?" Angie chuckled.  
  
"Probably not," this time Harry spoke, "people will become inquisitive. And we don't want that," Harry said, then he added, "yet." With that Harry said to them, "We should all probably get to bed, I mean, Halloween IS tomorrow."  
  
They all readily agreed, and soon all of them were in their dorms, Hermione and Angie sleeping, Ron and Harry talking. Soon however, even the boys fell into a deep slumber.  
  
**********  
  
The next morning when Harry awoke he found that Ron was already up. 'Whoa!' thought Harry, 'Ron is never up before I am.' Harry quickly dressed and headed down to the common room, where he found Angie, Hermione, and Ron waiting for him.  
  
"It's about time!" said Angie in a teasing tone. "Huh?" was Harry's only reply.  
  
"It's noon!" said an exasperated Ron.  
  
"NOON?!" came Harry's startled reply. "How in the hell did I sleep that long?!"  
  
"I don't know, maybe it is because you always sneak out of the room at midnight," offered Ron.  
  
Harry could feel the expression creeping up on his face. It was obviously saying 'how could you have known about that?' Then came the question that Harry was dreading.  
  
"So, who are you meeting at an hour like that?" Harry blushed, "If you must know, nobody. I go to the study and work on my elemental powers. That is all, I swear to you."  
  
"Sure." they all eyed him strangely, and Harry met their gazes with a determination. He forced truth through his eyes and all of his friends saw this. They knew that Harry wasn't lying.  
  
"Alright," said Angie, "let's get you some lunch."  
  
"Lunch?" asked Harry, "Oh yeah, I missed breakfast. That's my favorite meal too," he added as an afterthought.  
  
**********  
  
"Harry? Are you ready to do this?" asked Ron.  
  
"Yea, this is going to be great," snickered Harry.  
  
"Yea it is," Ron laughed, "How long do you think before one of them figures it out?"  
  
"I say that Angie will within the first two hours. But 'Mione might too. I don't know! All I know is that I'm gonna have a hard time not laughing while they call me 'Ron'."  
  
"Yeah, and I'm gonna have to reply to 'Harry'."  
  
"Oh well, lets do this."  
  
"Fourrur."  
  
Ron and Harry walked to a nearby mirror, and both laughed aloud. "They are never going to know," said Harry to Ron - or was it Ron to Harry. They looked like each other, and sounded like each other as well. They continued their bout of laughing and then composed themselves and headed down to the common room.  
  
They didn't need to wait long for their dates, soon Harry heard them coming down the stairs, and he and Ron stood to await them. What they saw was shocking.  
  
Angie descended first, her normally long brown hair curled tightly in a bun behind her head. She was wearing a blue dress that had fake stones on it, making it shimmer as she moved. Her dress was low cut at the top and was quite revealing. Harry - or rather Ron, (A/N: I know that this is a bit confusing. Harry is feeling this) felt his heart rate pick up and his breathing quicken. But she headed towards Ron, who looked like Harry.  
  
'Darn, I should've thought about this consequence beforehand,' thought Harry. Ron however, was positively beaming. That was, until Hermione came down.  
  
Hermione's normally curly hair was straightened, and curled in the back much like Angie's. She was wearing a black dress that hugged her tightly. Harry nearly choked when he saw her. But then remembered that Angie wouldn't be happy after she found out that 'Ron' was really Harry. So after the initial shock of seeing their girlfriends, both Ron and Harry regained their composure and led their dates down to the Great Hall, where the dance would be.  
  
"So," Harry began as they entered the Hall, "would you like to dance?"  
  
"Of course," was Hermione's reply.  
  
So, Harry led Hermione out to the dance floor and proceeded to dance with Hermione. Harry had found a book on how to dance over the summer and decided to read it so he would not embarrass himself this year as he had the last year. It was then that he noticed something that Angie had been saying.  
  
"You dance much better than you did last year."  
  
'What?' Harry asked himself. 'Something is wrong here. Angie can't have known how badly I danced last year.' Then he looked at Hermione, and asked her, "Do you remember when Harry and I rescued you from that troll in first year?" Harry took careful note of the wave of confusion that passed over Hermione's face before she answered.  
  
"Of course I do," Hermione said. "It was rather brave of you two."  
  
"Oh, not really," continued Harry, "We just felt that we owed it to you after what we did. I'm so glad you forgave us for playing that prank on you, making your hair green."  
  
Harry waited for Hermione's reply, when it came a smile crept over his face. "Yeah, that was rather mean."  
  
"HEEERMIIONE!" Harry called, and not to his surprise, 'Angie' looked over at him expectantly. Harry just smiled.  
  
"Alright you two, the game is up, change back into yourselves."  
  
"What are you talking about Ron?" asked 'Angie'.  
  
"Oh, I believe you two changed into each other. 'Hermione' here Harry, affirmed that in the first year we rescued her from the troll because we felt bad about turning her hair green."  
  
At this a laugh came from Ron, and 'Angie' sighed. Then she nodded to 'Hermione' and they both dispelled the disguising charm that they were using, making them look their normal selves. "How did you figure it out?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Well, I believe you commented to Harry that he danced better than he did last year, which would've been impossible for Angie to know, since SHE wasn't here last year." Hermione hung her head. "Don't be ashamed, in fact I think Harry and I here," he pointed to Ron and himself, "have something to show you as well."  
  
With that, both Harry and Ron dispelled their disguising charms and turned back into their normal selves. Both Ron and Harry (now themselves) started to laugh at Hermione and Angie's surprised faces.  
  
"To think," said Harry between laughs, "That we tried to play the same trick on each other!"  
  
That comment brought both of the girls into laughter as well, and all four were laughing at their failed jokes. Everyone else, was staring at them strangely, including some teachers.  
  
After the fits of laughing subsided the quartet resumed their dancing and feasting. The party went late into the night and it was one o' clock before Dumbledore announced that the party was over and sent everyone to bed. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Angie all walked to the Gryfindor common room together.  
  
"Wow, that was a lot of fun," commented Angie. "I don't remember a time as a muggle when I have had as much." Harry blushed and the quartet entered into the Gryfindor common room. Ron and Hermione said good-night to each other and went up to their dorms, leaving Harry and Angie alone.  
  
"Harry, I want to thank you again for making me a witch. You've no idea how much it means to me, being able to use magic. I love magic, I love the feeling when I'm working with it, I love that it was you that gifted me with it." Angie leaned in slowly and her lips connected with Harry's.  
  
She felt as though she was being shocked as his lips caressed hers. Angie gave into his kiss and parted her mouth a little wider. Harry sensing this took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside her mouth. Angie couldn't suppress a slight shudder as Harry ran his tongue over her own, massaging it. As Harry retracted his tongue Angie lightly closed her lips on it, sucking on it. When she parted her mouth again she felt Harry nibble slightly on her lower lip, and she began to feel more than being shocked, she began to feel aroused. Angie hugged Harry tighter, pulling his body into hers, and began to kiss him even more vigorously.  
  
As Harry felt Angie pulling him even closer to her he too became aroused and also vigorously renewed the passionate kissing. Harry couldn't think, he didn't want to; all Harry wanted to do was give into whatever Angie was doing. He wanted her, and judging by the way she was indulging herself in him, she wanted him as well. But Harry's conscience was trying to reach him.  
  
Angie pulled Harry out of the common room and into the hallway. Then she pulled him into the next room that they came to, it was deserted, except for a couch and a rug in the middle of the room. There she began to kiss Harry with a renewed frenzy, and there were no complaints from him. Complaints that she could hear that is, Harry's insides were in turmoil.  
  
'WHAT AM I DOING!' Harry thought as he allowed himself to be dragged out of the common room by Angie. 'One, we are going to be caught. Two, I don't know how far she wants to go. Three, if it goes too far, could she get pregnant?' As Angie pulled Harry into the room he forgot temporarily his fears because he was pulled into her again.  
  
Angie was suffering from a similar feeling. She was berating herself for doing this, yet she couldn't stop. She wanted Harry too badly. Angie broke off the kiss for but a moment as she slipped Harry's shirt off over his head. Then she undid the back of her own dress. 'This is going to far,' she thought to herself as she continued.  
  
Harry slipped Angie's dress off of her shoulders, leaving her chest covered only by her bra and he bent down to kiss her neck. Angie felt chills run down her spine as he placed light kisses down her neck and down onto her chest and then she felt nothing, Harry had pulled away. Angie looked up at him.  
  
"Is there something wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Angie, I'm sorry, I just can't - I can't do this," came the reply. Harry picked up his discarded shirt and put it back on, then waited for Angie to put back on her dress.  
  
"Is it something about me?" Angie asked fearfully.  
  
"No!" said Harry, "No of course not. I - I just can't Angie. All while I was kissing you I felt this voice inside me trying to pull me back, and I couldn't ignore it. There were so many things that could've gone wrong Angie, and I just don't know."  
  
"Don't know what?"  
  
"Nevermind - let's go back to the dorms."  
  
"Harry, please tell me what is wrong."  
  
Harry didn't answer as they walked down the corridor down which they had come and they reentered the common room.  
  
"Angie, I don't know what to say, except that people come and people go, time passes and there is nothing that anyone can do about it. I believe that my time may come far faster than another's." With that Harry left Angie in the common room with tears in her eyes and ascended the stairs to his dorm.  
  
***********  
  
I "Harry."  
  
"Nel'shira?"  
  
"Harry, there is not much time. You must finish your training with me tonight. It is imperative that you be able to conquer death. You will learn one more spell with me. Then I believe you will be on your own. Tomorrow, it will happen," urgency and sadness were apparent in Nel'shira's voice, and Harry was scared.  
  
"Are - are you sure Nel'shira?" Harry asked hoping that his mentor would say 'no.'  
  
"Yes my child, I am sure. Now to do this spell." /I  
  
************  
  
Harry awoke in a cold sweat. It was three o' clock in the morning. And today was the day. Harry's life began to play in his mind, his time at the Dursley's, his friends, his school, Nel'shira, and the vision. Harry shuddered. Today that vision would become reality, and Harry knew what must be. Harry immediately teleported to the study, and found what he wanted, battle gear.  
  
Godric Gryfindor had not simply left powers to his heirs, he left his own things as well, and the battle gear that Harry now held was one of the things bequeathed by Godric. The first pieces that went on were guards. Harry slipped the leather guards on his elbows, wrists, and shins. Then Harry put on the belt, which had a holster for his wand and potion vial holders. Finally he donned the battle robe. This robe was imbued with many protective enchantments and bodily enhancement charms. With this robe on Harry could move faster, and was stronger than without it.  
  
Then Harry slipped many throwing knives into the holders built into the leather guards and belt. Then he placed his wand in its holster. Finally he slipped his sword into its sheath on the back of his battle robe and teleported to Dumbledore's office.  
  
To say that Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry, dressed as a war assassin teleport into the midst of his office would have been a severe understatement. And Harry could barely restrain his laughs at Dumbledore's expression and reaction. When Harry had been pieced back together inside Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster had tried to jump out of his chair and take out his wand at the same time. The result was the Headmaster falling backwards and landing on the ground in a heap.  
  
Harry helped Dumbledore off the ground and simply said, "Hogsmede will be attacked tonight. Voldemort himself will be there, alert everyone. I will be there as well." Before Dumbledore had a chance to tell Harry that 'No, you will not be there,' Harry had teleported back to the study, where he began to touch up on his spell casting and muggle fighting arts.  
  
It was 4:30 when Harry decided to stop tiring himself and alert his friends as to what was going on. He also decided to check on Dumbledore's progress afterwards. Harry teleported back into his dorm where he found Ron sleeping.  
  
"Ron, wake up."  
  
"Harry, its too early go away."  
  
"Ron, Voldemort is going to attack Hogsmede today."  
  
"Urmph. just go away."  
  
"RON! GET YOUR LAZY ASS OUT OF THE BED RIGHT NOW!" That did it, Ron jumped out of bed as Harry screamed right into his ear.  
  
"HARRY! What in the HELL was that for?!"  
  
"You wouldn't get up," said Harry matter-of-factly. "Well you didn't need to make me deaf. Now what were you saying?"  
  
Harry sighed. "Ron, Voldemort will be attacking Hogsmede today, I am going, the rest of you may choose. Harry added this last part even though he knew what their response would be.  
  
"Are you kidding? Of course you know we are coming as well. One elemental will not be enough."  
  
"You are right Ron, sadly, but four will be plenty. Come, lets go get Angie and Hermione."  
  
"Ummm - Harry - How are we gonna get them up. they are in their dorms." Harry grinned as he took out his invisibility cloak.  
  
"Uh-huh," said Ron waving his hands, "you are alone in this one."  
  
***********  
  
Five minutes later, Harry came running back downstairs followed closely by two very angry girls.  
  
"Harry Potter! Get back here this instant! You are never allowed in our room!"  
  
"Angie, 'Mione, peace, I needed to get you up. Voldemort will attack Hogsmede tonight, will you help me and Dumbledore and the resistance against Voldemort fight?"  
  
Angie and Hermione's angry scowls were replaced by a 'what did you need to ask for' look. "Of course we are going with you, what do you think we are? Fair weather friends?"  
  
"No not at all, but I did want to give you the choice. Come now, we must speak to Dumbledore."  
  
"Harry," Angie began, "Where did you get those clothes?"  
  
"They were Godric's," replied Harry. He wanted to distance himself from Angie today, but that seemed that it would be impossible. He couldn't get her hopes up, as he knew they would come crashing down. Soon enough they found Dumbledore. He was running to the owlrey and came crashing into the quartet.  
  
"Oh, sorry about that, got to get this letter off, oh Harry!"  
  
"Yes professor, we need to talk to you."  
  
"Oh, yes, well meet me at the door to my office, and I'll come as soon as I have sent off this owl."  
  
"Alright Headmaster," said Harry and he led his friends to the Headmaster's office where they waited. They did not wait long however and Dumbledore soon appeared around the corner, looking less frantic but most assuredly not relaxed.  
  
"Now, what is it Harry?"  
  
"Headmaster, Angie, Hermione, Ron, and I will be joining in the defense of Hogsmede." It was a statement, not question.  
  
"And what makes you think that I will let you?" asked Dumbledore inquisitively.  
  
Harry replied calmly, his friends standing behind him and lending him their support, "I don't think Headmaster, that you can stop us." With that Harry nodded to his friends and they all teleported back to the study, leaving a startled Dumbledore in their wake.  
  
'I must ask him later how he does that,' Dumbledore made a mental note to himself.  
  
************  
  
Harry paced around the study, his friends sitting on the couches in front of him. He knew that they were ready, but he couldn't help but feel nervous about the whole thing. And yet at the same time, he knew that they were necessary to the defense. It was nearing noontime, and Harry, Angie, Ron, and Hermione had spent the hours touching up on their elemental powers, and strengthening some wandless magic spells.  
  
"It is time to head out to Hogsmede to plan the defense," said Harry to the others, who all continued to look at the floor. "Whatever happens, be careful, be strong, and win. We must win this battle. Let's go." With that the four teleported to the edge of the castle boundaries and began the decent to Hogsmede in silence.  
  
They arrived and split up, each helping out where he/she was most needed. Harry asked to be left alone, and none questioned him. 'Well,' he thought, 'here goes nothing.' With that thought Harry began to summon his element, and summon lots of it. All movement stopped as the witches and wizards felt the massive amounts of magic moving around them. They feared that it may be some spell of evil that Voldemort was working, but since there was nothing that anyone could do about it they set back to work. Hermione, Angie, and Ron however, knew exactly where the magic was migrating too, and they looked at Harry with awe, their mouths hung open.  
  
As more and more magic was pulled around Harry, he began to glow with power. Nobody was blind to that effect and soon all had stopped what they were doing and were pointing and staring at 'the boy who lived.' Harry's aura went from a light green to a bright emerald, and everyone present could feel the raw magic emanating from him. Then suddenly, it all stopped, and Harry stood up, glanced around at all the people who were staring at him, and headed for Dumbledore.  
  
"Oh my god," said Ron to Hermione and Angie, "is he really that powerful? Could you feel the raw amounts of magic? That was amazing." This last statement was not said in exclamation, but in reverence.  
  
"How could he be so powerful?" Angie asked. "Did anyone recognize what it was used for?"  
  
"No - it must be for his element. By the way, he never told us what his element was did he? Strange." Hermione pondered why this was so.  
  
"Nope, he never did. Just another one of his secrets I suppose. Why does he have so many?" Angie asked. 'Why does he have so many.' the thought re- echoed in her head.  
  
As Harry walked stoically towards Dumbledore, he was thinking about what he had just done. 'God, I hope this works.'  
  
"Sir," Harry began, "I want you to know this. If anything happens to me there is a bag of letters in my room that I want delivered according to the instructions on each. Thank you." Harry began to walk away but Dumbledore called to him.  
  
"Harry, do not talk like this. Nothing will happen to you. You will be safe," said Dumbledore, unsure about the words he was speaking.  
  
Harry sensed the Headmaster's confusion. "That as it may be professor, I know what will happen today, and nothing that you do or say will change it." Harry walked away, looking calm, but actually in turmoil.  
  
'No,' thought Dumbledore, 'this cannot happen. I will not let anything happen to that boy. If anything were to happen to him, I don't know if I could forgive myself. Not to mention it would be a moral blow to the entire wizarding community.'  
  
Harry marched to where Sirius was sitting. "Hello Sirius. I'm glad you are here today," Harry gave his godfather a hug. "I want you to know that I will be okay, not matter what happens."  
  
Harry, don't say things like that. Don't wish ill upon yourself. Nothing will happen to you.  
  
"Sirius, the outcome of this battle has already been decided." Harry's rigid posture broke as he added, "Just remember, I love you like the parents I never knew. Bye Sirius."  
  
"Harry - Harry wait," Sirius choked out, but Harry had begun his walk towards Ron and Hermione.  
  
Angie witnessed all of this. 'Oh my god,' she thought, 'he is saying good- bye to everyone, does he know something that we don't?' She stared at him while he was talking with his other friends. He left them and began to walk towards her. Angie could see Ron and Hermione's confused and troubled faces. He approached her.  
  
"Harry, what is going to happen to you?"  
  
Harry gave a slight chuckle. "So, figured it out have you? Do not worry Angie. Everything will be explained to you later. But for now, stay strong," Harry reached out and touched her cheek to wipe away a tear, "and win Angie, win." With these words he leaned in and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
'A good-bye kiss?' thought Angie as he pulled away from her. "Harry, whatever happens, don't leave me -" she whispered.  
  
"Angie," he began silently, "you must understand, what will happen here today is already decided. Remember, I love you." With these words he leaned in and kissed her one more time and walked away, leaving a crying Angie behind. Dusk approached.  
  
************  
  
All of the defenders of Hogsmede were in position as dusk donned over the city. Very soon, a single cry tore over the town, "MORSMORDE!" The dark mark flew into the sky and hundreds of death eaters rushed forward from the woods throwing curses at whomever they saw and setting buildings ablaze. The defenders attacked, Harry leading the way. Harry sent a wall of darkness in front of him which killed all death eaters as it touched them. Their screams of pain as their flesh was ripped from their bones could be heard throughout the battlefield and many other death eaters became demoralized by the fate of their comrades.  
  
Soon, the death eaters were faced with a new problem. Angie had called upon a firestorm, which now raged over the main concentration of death eaters. Their hastily erected shields saved precious few and most fell screaming as they were burned alive. As the firestorm ended she called upon the plants nearby to entangle the frightened death eaters and they did her bidding, holding the death eaters, which were then taken down by spells from others.  
  
Ron was throwing every curse imaginable at the death eaters, which he cloaked with the power of his shadow element. When cloaked, none of the spells he used could be blocked, and so the only option was to dodge them, but even that was difficult because they could not see the spell coming towards them.  
  
Hermione was seen calling a ball of pure white light from the sky. She directed this ball of pure energy towards a large group of death eaters who were holding down some aurors. The ball of energy positioned itself directly over the death eaters and then exploded, momentarily blinding everyone. When they could see again, thirty charred bodies remained where thirty death eaters had stood moments before.  
  
Curses, hexes, and charms were flying everywhere. Friends and foe alike were falling, and then Harry saw someone come out from behind the death eaters. Harry would have recognized those red eyes anywhere. Voldemort himself had joined the battle. Harry erupted in a fury. Unsheathing his sword, he cut down the two closest death eaters.  
  
"Crucio!" The spell came flying towards Harry's back from a nearby death eater. Hearing the word Harry spun around bringing his sword up in a wide arc. Harry's blade connected with the unforgivable curse and with a shower of white sparks sent it back to its caster, whom it hit. The man fell to the ground screaming in pain and agony.  
  
"That is him! It's Harry Potter! The Master wants him dead!" This cry alerted many of the death eaters to Harry's presence and they all began firing curses at him, curses he was hard-pressed to dodge and block.  
  
Harry's sword became a blur as he twirled, swung, and struck with it, parrying curses, and cutting death eaters. The curses stopped when Dumbledore came with Sirius and some Hit-Wizards and relieved Harry of the attackers. Harry's mind again raced to Voldemort. Time seemed to freeze and Harry saw Voldemort lift his wand, but it was not aimed at Harry, but at Angie. Harry saw, rather than heard, the words formed upon Voldemort's lips, "Avada Kedavra." A flash of green light streaked towards Angie, and Harry knew what he must do. He sprung himself to the side, directly into the path of the curse, shielding Angie with his own body. The curse hit him straight in the chest. He fell, dead.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOO!" Angie screamed as she saw Harry fall, his body limp, and his eyes closed. Voldemort began to laugh, an evil laugh, as everybody stared at the lifeless body of Harry Potter. 


	9. Dealing with Death

Chapter 9: Death  
  
Voldemort laughed, a high pitched cackling laughter, and was horrible to hear.  
  
"AHHHHH!" screamed Angie, Ron and Hermione as their powers exploded in a violent onslaught. Angie's eyes blazed with fury and all the death eaters that met her gaze aged out their life instantly. Their bodies counted off years as fractions of a second and within ten seconds, twenty death eaters lay on the ground dead. Ron lost control of all reason and sent out a spell more powerful than he could normally, or even ever hope to, control. All the death eaters within 100 yards of him suffered the worst nightmares, they saw their own deaths, and failure. They died by their own hands as they gouged out their eyes trying to stop the visions, and when that did not stop them, they killed themselves. Hermione summoned a massive thunderstorm, but it ended up being more of a hurricane. The wind whipped around those three and lightning illuminated them. All present noticed that each one's eyes had changed. Angie's were now gold, bright gold, and they shined with a frightening intensity. Ron's eyes turned black and none could stare into them so much did it look as if he had no eyes at all. Hermione's eyes were a bright white, and they clearly lit up her face, showing the anger that she felt. Her thunderstorm sent down lighting to strike those with evil intent, killing them instantly. One hundred death eaters died within those instants and morale fell again, many of the death eaters began to apparate out. Angie would not hear of it.  
  
"Accio Voldemort!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. An evil smile was illuminated on her face as her eyes began to glow even brighter, such was the fury that she felt. She pulled out her sword as Voldemort dropped to the ground in front of her. "You will be sorry that you were ever born - Riddle." She spat out his name, and brought down her sword in a large arc.  
  
Voldemort, finally snapping out of his fear transfigured his wand into a sword and clumsily parried the blow, but did not escape completely unscathed. Her blade torn a gash down his side as it was deflected off his sword. Then Voldemort found himself desperately trying to parry two more blows. The swings came faster and faster as Angie brought her sword up, tearing another gash in Voldemort's leg. She smiled at his pain and brought the blade around, spinning with it. Voldemort saw the attack coming, but was helpless to prevent it, he was simply not fast enough.  
  
'Who is this girl?!" He thought fearfully. Then he screamed in pain as Angie's blow torn through skin and bone, completely taking off Voldemort's forearm. Angie brought her sword above her head, and started the down stroke for the kill. Voldemort weakly clutched a stone with his only hand and muttered the incantation as the sword descended. The sword clove through air as Voldemort activated the portkey.  
  
"NOO!" Angie screamed. "That bastard son of a bitch!" He got away! I let him get away." She broke down into tears as all of her emotions overwhelmed her. She was too weak to do anything except lay on the ground and cry. Between sobs she managed a question, "Why Harry - why?"  
  
************  
  
HARRY POTTER DEAD  
  
Yes my dear readers, it is true. Harry Potter, "The Boy Who Lived" died last night valiantly fighting against the forces of Voldemort in the defense of Hogsmede. From eyewitness reports, it seems that Mr. Potter sacrificed himself to save another and jumped in front of a killing curse, taking it himself. It is a tragic thought that the boy who delivered the world from the greatest of perils now died at the hand of the one he defeated so long ago. Harry Potter was buried immediately following the battle. In towns everywhere, people are erecting memorials in honor of his memory. I must ask, 'Who was the person that he saved?' and more importantly, 'Did Harry know what would happen?'  
  
Albus Dumbledore believes that Harry did know what would happen during the battle. "Before the battle yesterday," said Dumbledore with tears in his eyes, "Harry approached me and his closest friends. He all but said good- bye to us." Professor Dumbledore said with a hurt look, "It pains me to say that it rook Harry's death for Cornelius Fudge to accept that Voldemort really has returned, though I have been telling him so since the TriWizard Tournament last year."  
  
Harry's friends could not be reached for a comment, but in light of Professor Dumbledore's comment, I must also raise the question, 'Do we need a new Minister of Magic, someone who will take appropriate action?' Many people have begun talk, and many agree that we do.  
  
***********  
  
Dumbledore tossed the newspaper away in disgust, then turned to Sirius, who was with him in his office. Dumbledore's eyes radiated composition and sympathy. "I'm so sorry Sirius," Dumbledore almost whispered, "I - I couldn't do anything."  
  
"I know Dumbledore - I know. There was nothing that anyone could do," Sirius answered, then he broke into tears. Dumbledore put a comforting hand on Sirius' shoulder. "God Dumbledore, he knew it would happen. He knew. Why couldn't he just tell us? I would've jumped in front of -"  
  
"That is exactly why he didn't Sirius. Harry was very brave. He valued other's lives above his own, and didn't want anyone else to make that sacrifice. Especially for Angie. I don't think he would have trusted anyone else. He did know Sirius, there is no other explanation."  
  
Sirius looked up at Dumbledore, his eyes still wet from tears, "He all but said good-bye to me Dumbledore. I should've been there to take it instead."  
  
"There was nothing that you could do Sirius. Harry knew what you would try to do if you had known, and he couldn't take that risk with Angie. He really loved her Sirius. He even left letters - the letters!" Dumbledore and Sirius jumped out of their chairs and sprinted out of the Headmaster's office towards the Gryfindor tower - and Harry's dorm.  
  
************  
  
Ron and Hermione had been looking for Angie, she had simply disappeared after the fight and Voldemort's escape. They were on their way back to the common room 'Well, at least there is one place that she can not be any longer.' Hermione thought dismally. Turning to Ron as they entered through the Fat Lady she asked, "Do you have any ideas as to where she could be?"  
  
"Right here," answered Angie through sobs. She had been sitting in chair the entire time.  
  
"Angie, you had us so worried," said Ron.  
  
"You shouldn't just disappear like that," continued Hermione. Angie just cried harder. "Angie - please." Hermione begged. "Don't cry, you shouldn't."  
  
"YES I SHOULD!" cried Angie violently, "It's MY fault that he is dead! It's my fault! He took the curse meant for me. He jumped in front of that curse to save me! I'm the reason he is dead!"  
  
"Angie," pleaded Ron, "you cannot deny that Harry knew what would happen last night. You as well as we know that. He finished what he had to say to everyone. He made the decision to jump in front of that curse long before the battle even began. He gave his life so that you may live Angie. It would be a waste to throw that life he gave you away just crying. It will only dishonor his decision to mourn over his death. Just pay your respect and move on. Dedicate all of what you do to him."  
  
Angie sniffed. "Why do you have to be right?" she asked him quietly.  
  
It was at this moment that Sirius and Dumbledore came crashing through the entrance to the common room and raced up to Harry's dorm. Sporting confused expressions the trio of friends could only watch as the two adults sprinted up the stairs.  
  
"Wonder what got into them?" asked Hermione.  
  
"I don't know," replied Ron, "but when they come back down I'm sure as hell gonna ask them." The three watched the stairs and minutes later the two professors came back down, Sirius first, carrying letters.  
  
"Harry," he sniffed, "left these for us." He gave each to the one it was addressed to, then sat on a chair and opened his.  
  
Dear Sirius, I know how you must feel, but do not be sad. As you have probably guessed, I knew what would come this night. I was presented with a choice in a dream well over a month ago, me or Angie, life or death. I knew what I had to do, and I chose to save Angie and meet death. You see, I knew that my death would not be in vain. You see, I have been training elemental powers with my friends, and I knew that with my death, their untamed powers would erupt. I knew that with my death, the battle would be won. I also knew that that fool of a minister of magic we have, would no longer be able to deny that Voldemort has returned.  
  
I grew tired Sirius, tired of people dying because of me. First my parents, then aurors, then Cedric. His death was the last straw. After I returned from the graveyard that night I promised myself that, if I could stop it, I would. This was the main reason I chose to take that curse. Remember always that I love you Sirius. I want you to know that my parents chose a great godfather, and I never want you to forget that, or me. Dumbledore once told me Sirius that, 'to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.' And you know how much I love adventures Sirius.  
  
Your Loving Godson,  
  
Harry James Potter  
  
Everybody present in the room was watching Sirius as he read the letter. They saw his facial expressions as he went through, questioning, understanding, respect, a faint smile, sadness, understanding again, and then affection. As he finished the letter tears were silently streaming down his face as he lifted himself out of his chair and left the room. Hermione opened hers.  
  
Hello Hermione,  
  
I know that you must be sad. I will not deny you the right to feel this way, however, I must ask that you keep the mourning to a minimum. I knew what I would do if presented with a situation like I was. I promised myself last year that no more people would die because of me if I could prevent it. You see, I jumped in front of that curse knowing full well what I was doing.  
  
I don't want you to remember me as a hero Hermione. You know how I hate attention. I simply want you to remember all of the good times that we had together. Remember when we were in first year and the troll attacked at Halloween. You were trapped in the bathroom and Ron and I came to the rescue, and I stunned it by sticking my wand up its nose? Good times huh? Well, now that I have alleviated some of your sadness I want to tell you this.  
  
I know that you have feelings for Ron. So does half the school actually. The only one that doesn't realize it is Ron. Do not be too late to tell him so. I'm glad I wasn't late in telling you all how I felt. Hermione, I thank you with all of my heart for being such a great friend to me. You stuck behind me even when no one else did. You meant so much to me.  
  
Love,  
  
Harry  
  
Hermione smiled a little through her tears and left with her letter up to her dormitory, leaving just Ron and Angie with their letters. Not seeing Angie reaching to open hers, Ron took the prerogative.  
  
Hiya Ron,  
  
I know that you must be heartbroken over my death, but you must not mourn for long. I am not worth mourning over, just a simple kid who tried to be normal, even though his world wouldn't allow me to be. What I will miss most of all, is spending time with you guys. I will miss joking around with you, cuddling with Angie, and yes, even studying with Hermione. I want you to stay strong Ron, stay strong, and proud. And ASK HERMIONE OUT! I know you like her Ron. The whole school does. Well, everyone except her. You have liked her since first year and you even fight like a married couple.  
  
Anyway, now that I have gotten that tidbit out, I want to thank you. I want to thank you for being such a great friend. I want to thank you for being there behind me. I hope that you will always remember fondly the times we spent together.  
  
Your best friend,  
  
Harry Potter  
  
Ron smiled weakly through his tears and left up the stairs after Hermione. He gently folded the letter and put it into his pocket. Seeing no one around, Angie opened hers.  
  
Dearest Angie,  
  
I know that you must feel terrible, for it is true, I died so that you may live. However, I must tell you that I knew long before the battle that I would be faced with the decision that I was. I knew long before the battle that I would sacrifice myself for you. After the third task in the TriWizard tournament, I promised myself that if it was within my promise, none would die because of me. I blamed myself for so many deaths, especially Cedric's. Thinking back on it now, I part to you this advice; do not dwell upon my death forever. I lived, and am happy. If I had lived instead of you Angie, I would not be able to continue. I want you to remember me, remember all of the good times that we had, remember that I love you. Yes, LOVE you, for I still do Angie. Not even death can stop my love for you.  
  
I will see you again sometime I think. And it will be a wonderful reunion. What I will miss most is the time I spent with my friends, and especially you. I love you Angie, and always will.  
  
With Hugs and Kisses,  
  
Harry  
  
Angie folded the letter and pulled herself into the fetal position on the chair, where she renewed her mourning. This time though, she mourned over not being able to see Harry again, not thinking that the curse should've taken her instead of him.  
  
************  
  
That night at dinner, the Great Hall was unusually quiet. The attack had had an affect on many. Some had lost friends, siblings, or parents. The only sound was the soft sobbing of the students. About halfway through the meal Dumbledore stood from his seat and cleared his throat.  
  
"Students of Hogwarts, we lost a student yesterday. Though not known by all of us, he was well heard about. I am of course talking about Harry Potter. Harry displayed the true courage of a Gryfindor in the battle at Hogsmede, and sacrificed his life for another, throwing himself in front of a killing curse cast by Lord Voldemort himself." Upon hearing the dark lord's name many flinched, but Harry's three closest friend's eyes were clouded by hate for the 'creature' that had killed Harry. "Harry valiantly assisted the forces of light in the battle and without his help it was doubtful that we would have won. He deserves the highest of praise from all of us. So - I propose a toast - to the 'true' Gryfindor. Good-bye Harry Potter." Dumbledore raised his glass and all of the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryfindors did as well. Some of the Slytherans felt his loss as well as they too raised their glasses in honor of Harry, surprisingly Malfoy did as well.  
  
"He left a letter for me to read to all of you in the event that something would happen to him. It reads as follows:  
  
Dear Hogwarts,  
  
God I'm gonna miss you guys. There is so much I have to say to all of you. I want to thank my fellow Gryfindors for standing by me when others wouldn't. I want to thank all of the students who trusted me. I want to thank all of the teachers for teaching me magic; it meant more to me than anyone will ever know. Snape, life would have been boring without you on my back all of the time.  
  
For all of the students who cared about my well being, thank you. Draco, everybody has to have a mortal enemy. All of the things I ever said, I take back. To those who mourn, I part this advice. Death is a part of life, it comes, and there is nothing that any one of you can do about it. I chose to meet my death a little early in order to save another. Yes, I knew that I would die tonight.  
  
There were a few shocked gasps and Dumbledore paused to let the whispering subside.  
  
Now I know that this information may come as a shock to you, but I promised myself that if I could help it, no one would die because of me. I couldn't save Cedric I could save my friend. I hope that all of you respect my decision. Within a week I hope that none of you are still mourning others or me and that you have moved on in your life. Respect those that died, but do not mourn unnecessarily. Remember me, not as 'Harry Potter - the boy who lived' but as 'Harry Potter - a kid I knew in school.' Hopefully I was a friend to all of you. No hard feelings to any that I never apologized to. Now to leave you with one last memory of me.  
  
The piece of parchment that the letter was written upon flew out of Dumbledore's hands and floated into the air above the students, where it exploded much like in the manner of a firework, leaving a picture of Harry flying on his Firebolt catching the golden snitch. Underneath the picture was a caption:  
  
For Hogwarts, I will miss you guys. Harry Potter. "To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."  
  
Dumbledore wiped a tear from his cheek and sat back down at the staff table next to Minerva McGonnagal, who was openly crying at the loss of Harry. Even Snape was seen to be wiping away a tear at the loss of his enemy's son. 


	10. Elves

Chapter 10: Elves  
  
Harry felt his soul being torn from his body as the curse hit him. The experience was the most painful that Harry could have ever imagined, far worse than the cruatious curse, but it didn't last nearly as long. However, the magic that he had called upon before the battle prevented his soul from escaping. He felt as though he was being pulled along a path, where he was going, he didn't know. Suddenly the pulling sensation stopped and he look around. He was in the middle of a forest, a forest that he felt that he recognized.  
  
"Harry." Harry spun around and had his hands pointed at the speaker, ready to blow them into oblivion should they attack him, but what he saw startled him greatly, and recognizing who the speaker was cause him to put down his hands.  
  
"Hello Nel'shira," said Harry bowing to his teacher.  
  
"Hello Harry, I am so glad that you made the journey safely," said his mentor as he threw his arms around Harry in a joyous embrace. "You have done it Harry, I almost thought that you would fail, but you did it."  
  
"Did what Nel'shira?"  
  
"Conquer death Harry, you conquered the last hurtle before you can master all of your powers as a death elemental."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped at this news. "You mean, I'm - you're not dead?"  
  
"That is exactly what I mean lad," replied Nel'shira smiling. "In fact, far from it. The magic that I had you cast was a rare mixture of death and nature magic. The death part allowed you to control your own death, and the nature part sent your body here, well, it sent your real body here and made a dead clone to leave behind." "Here? Where is here?"  
  
"Welcome Harry Potter, to the land of the elves." With this statement Nel'shira waved his hand and the trees in front of him disappeared, leaving a vast city revealed, a city of elves. Harry couldn't help but marvel at the city, so beautiful was it. The buildings were made of wood coaxed into forming itself into shapes by nature magic and rose marble. The result was beauty so stunning that Harry couldn't hold back a whistle.  
  
"You are an elf? Why did you tell me that you were a druid?"  
  
"I could not reveal myself as such because of the tensions it would cause if you had told someone. You see, elves are not well liked where you come from."  
  
"Why not? Your cities are beautiful, and I've heard wonders about your people's arts and crafts."  
  
"I hoped that you would understand," said Nel'shira calmly, "and that you would like the city, for this is where you will finish your training. This land is another world Harry. Mortals cannot easily access it, which is why your people dislike and distrust us. We will rarely allow them into our lands. I have allowed you access because the danger is great. Voldemort seeks a way to enter our lands, and he must be stopped."  
  
"Nel'shira - but my friends."  
  
"Hush Harry, your friends will be fine. You must finish your training and become a war mage so that you may defeat the darkness that is overpowering your lands and threatening ours. You will age while you are here Harry, but very little time will pass in your lands. I will warn you now, your people will be hard pressed to believe that you are alive, yet alone many years more knowledgeable." "I understand Nel'shira, please teach me."  
  
************  
  
[4 years later]  
  
(A/N: sorry about the time skip, but I want to try to make this fic a little bit more realistic time-wise. Please forgive me ()  
  
"Legoril! Wait up!" cried Harry as he jumped over a fallen log in pursuit of his friend. Harry had met Legoril not long after arriving in the elven kingdom. He had stood by Harry when most turned away from this 'stranger.' Harry and Legoril had become great friends over the course of their training together under Nel'shira and Harry was presently with his friend on the hunt.  
  
"Shhh," came a voice from nearby as Harry moved through the underbrush.  
  
"Legoril?" Harry whispered, "What is it?"  
  
"There are a few dear up ahead in the clearing. Come with me, be quiet, and we'll see if we cannot come home with a catch tonight." Legoril smiled at his friend. Legoril and Harry silently crept through the forest up to the clearing that Legoril had mentioned. Sure enough there were five dear grazing.  
  
"Should I trap them in there?" Harry asked his friend.  
  
"No, I think we will only take one, and for that we just need our hunting skills, no magic involved." Legoril pulled his bow out from its holder on his back and then notched an arrow from his quiver. Harry did the same, and then he fired, hitting the largest male. The other four deer fled but the male was wounded too badly, Harry's arrow had taken it in the chest. As it clumsily tried to run off Legoril let loose his arrow, killing it instantly.  
  
"Woo-hoo!" Harry cried and he gave Legoril a high five. Legoril accepted the high five awkwardly as it was a human custom he had yet to get used to. He smiled however, and started out to collect their kill. As the two skipped along ecstatically, it had been two months since their last kill, Harry asked, "How are we gonna get this thing back to the camp?"  
  
Both stopped, "Damn," started Legoril, "I guess the biggest one wasn't the best choice eh?"  
  
"Guess not," came the glum reply. "Oh well! I bet no one else got a stag this big!"  
  
"You're right, and it shouldn't be too hard to get this thing back. We just need a little magic to assist us," Legoril added slyly. "I'm sure that you would be, more than willing, to help"  
  
"Of course," came the ominous reply. Harry began to mumble under his breath, very quietly so that Legoril couldn't hear the words. Legoril had always tried to learn this spell, but Harry had yet to teach him, and it was out of the question to ask Nel'shira. He didn't even know Harry could cast it. It was a very dangerous spell, if one thing went wrong death was almost assured. Harry began to mumble faster and faster, and Legoril briefly wondered (for the millionth time) where Harry had learned the spell to begin with. The wind picked up around Harry and Legoril and Harry stopped mumbling. The wind continued to blow, faster and faster, until it lifted Harry, Legoril, and the dead stag off the ground and propelled them through the air towards their camp.  
  
Legoril never ceased to be amazed at the view from the sky. He could only gape as he and Harry soared over the tops of the trees beneath them. Soon, the air began to slow, and the two were lowered to the earth a safe distance from the camp. As they gleefully unloaded their kill Legoril suddenly raised his hand in warning. Instantly the two of them became silent, Harry cast a couple of wandless shielding and protection charms on the both of them. Legoril brought out his bow and notched an arrow, Harry loosened his battle garb so that if need be he could grab his hidden daggers at a moments notice. The two became very still, looking around trying to discern where the intruder was, then Harry and Legoril heard a twig snap to their right and a second later a throwing knife and arrow were buried into a tree at that point.  
  
Suddenly a female elf jumped out of the bush yelling 'RAHHH' and then falling to the ground laughing. "Man! You should have seen your faces! You two become WAY to serious when you sense any possible danger at all. Loosen up!"  
  
Harry looking disgusted went to retrieve his knife and Legoril's arrow while Legoril took up the chastising. "ALOHMA! You could have been killed! Do you realize that if Harry and I had been trying to hit you back there instead of trying to scare you out you would be dead right now?! Never sneak up on us like that again! I saw Harry reaching for his second knife when you jumped out and I already had another arrow notched! Dammit Alhoma, we could have killed you so easily there. Please don't do that again, I care too much about you." At this Alhoma went silent and Harry added his agreement.  
  
"I'm sorry, just trying to have a bit of fun." "I know," started Harry, "but please don't do that to us again, you have no idea how badly I would have felt if anything happened to you."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"But," began Legoril, "now that the lecture is over, as your punishment you can help us carry this stag to camp." He began smiling. "Don't worry, we won't mention it to the masters," she looked up and grinned, "provided you help us with that," he gestured to the stag and her grin faded. Both Harry and Legoril laughed at Alhoma's dismal expression.  
  
Soon the three had lugged the heavy elk carcass to the border of the camp and Nel'shira greeted them. "Hello my apprentices. It is well that you have returned - and with such a catch! Well, we shall not have to worry about food for a while to come now shall we?"  
  
The three bowed to him and answered in the affirmative and Nel'shira continued. "I have been in slight contact with the outside world," at this Harry's eyes lit up, "and have found that the forces of light there are in much trouble. There are few safe havens anymore and it seems that the people have lost much hope. Harry, even with your friends leading them, the forces of light need all of you, and I must admit, however hesitantly, that you have all been exceptional in your training. I think, that it may be time. You must all return, however, you must keep a low profile at the same time.  
  
"Legoril - your mastery of weapons has passed many of the teacher's masteries of the same weapons. You know how to handle many weapons that most would not even touch. Your archery is enviable and your knowledge of elven and dwarven war magic is more than formidable.  
  
"Alhoma - your mastery of healing has surpassed mine. No, don't be surprised; I was not trained to be a healer. I believe these two will require your aid on many occasions in the times ahead. Your mastery of defensive spells, of all races is amazing; I know that with your help, the last vestiges of hope in the human lands will be safe.  
  
"And you Harry - you have finished your training in your elemental powers. You are quite strong. You have mastered wandless magic and I believe you have stopped carrying your wand long ago." At this Harry smiled. "Yes - I know that you are ready to face the challenges ahead. You have also mastered smaller weapons to be used for your defense, I for one would not want to be the target of one of your throwing knives. With your dearest friends to help you," Nel'shira gestured to Alhoma and Legoril, "you will overcome all challenges. I have faith in you all remember that. You will not fail in this I can feel it.  
  
"All three of you must embark on one last quest before I may deem you ready to leave back for the human lands. You must recover for me an egg of a forest wyvern. I will not tell you where a nest is - you must discover that yourselves. After this quest you will all truly be ready for what is to come."  
  
The three bowed to Nel'shira answering, "Yes master." All three however, were feeling far more excitement than any showed. As they went to their dorm to retrieve the necessary supplies and equipment they began to talk about what may be in store for them, and how each felt a desire to go to the human lands, or to return in Harry's case. As they entered the dorm each went to their respective rooms and began to gather their stuff.  
  
As Harry entered his room he sank down onto his bed with a blissful sigh. 'I am going to go home - I am going to go home,' kept running through his head as he slowly got off of his bed and grabbed his equipment. First he grabbed his war bow. The shaft of this bow was made of dragon bone set in gold and platinum, the string made from the mane of a black unicorn. It was modeled after old Egyptian composite bows, and stood at three-and-a- half feet tall. The arrows were specially made from arbutus wood, the hardest wood that could be found. The arrowheads made from diamond so that they could be charmed with different spells: accuracy, explosion, poison, and freezing were the favorites of Harry. Harry shrunk both the bow and arrows and put them in their holder along his back. Then he picked up his sword. It was a deep silver, the color which it took from the metal of a fallen star, a meteor which Harry had seen fall from the sky in his first year of being in the elven lands. He had quickly apparated into the general area of the landing and searched for a full day before he found the meteor. It had still been hot and was a bright reddish-silver. He had transported it with the help of his magic. This however, was not as easy as it had seemed it would be because of the meteor's natural resistance to the magical forces that Harry was using on it. It had taken Harry two days to get the meteor back to the elven city, where he had been based with Nel'shira and Legoril at the time. The sword had been fashioned by an admired elven smith for Harry and was strengthened, sharpened, and otherwise enchanted by Harry, Nel'shira, and the smith himself. Its blade was harder than diamond and much sharper, and its hilt was made of blackrock ore. The pitch-black hilt contrasted sharply with the silver hue of the blade itself. He strapped the blade across his back under his shrunken bow. Then he donned his battle garb. This was the same outfit that he had worn that fateful day four long years ago. He slipped his knives, which he had newly poisoned, into their sheaths inside his battle garb, and strapped a belt on, into which he slipped various potions. Finally, Harry lifted his staff. This object was his pride and joy. He had created it himself one year ago after achieving journeyman status. It was made of a compressed and polished piece of driftwood. It was black in color and was so hard that many mistook it for being made of metal. Into the shaft of the staff there were carved elven runes of power. These runes contained the secrets of the staff, which could be used to channel magic from one object or person to another. The staff could hold spells that one would not normally be able to cast because of the enormous amounts of power required. Roughly halfway up the shaft small diamonds were placed in random positions, first far apart, then slowly getting closer together, so as to give the impression of space, an area of few stars and an area of a high concentration. The top of the staff was emblazoned by a large piece of Fire Opal. This bright reddish-orange gemstone was professionally cut into a skull, and finely complimented the rich black shaft of the staff. Harry turned it over in his hands before putting it with his other equipment.  
  
After readying himself he stepped in front of a mirror to see himself. The four years spent away from home had not been kind to him. He bore many scars from the various missions that he had been sent on, including a particularly nasty set on his back from being raked by a griffin two years back. His face had been hardened and was no longer the helpless little boy he had been in his fourth year. His eyes had lost a little of their gleam, they were not their bright emerald green anymore, the years of training had turned them dull. But in those eyes power could be seen, and many who looked into them felt a slight chill travel up their spines.  
  
The years of training had filled out Harry's muscles very nicely, and he doubted that any of his old friends, or even his teachers, would be able to match him in any form of combat, most of which he had mastered. He stood at 6'1" and his posture was well disciplined. He could be threatening, friendly, or plain dangerous if need be. All these details didn't matter for the moment however because Harry needed to change his appearance so that he would not be harassed by elves (he was as much of a celebrity in the elven lands as he was in his own land). So, using the powers he had inherited from his ancestor Godric Gryfindor he shape shifted into his favorite alternate ego, under which he was known as 'Nkari' (pronounced N? Car ?).  
  
Quickly he changed his appearance and his face changed. His green eyes melted into gray with golden edges. His chin and cheekbones became less pronounced and his hair became short and spiked, frosted on the tips. Finally his scar disappeared. This was how he traveled, in anonymity. After changing his appearance he exited the dorms and waited outside for his friends.  
  
Harry did not have to wait long less than five minutes later Legoril came out and waved at Harry who smiled back. "Hello - Nkari," said Legoril smiling.  
  
"Legoril, I swear, if you ever call me that when it is not necessary again, I may have to kill you," answered Harry with a grin on his face. Legoril could only grin back as they waited for Alhoma to come out. "What is taking her so long do you think?"  
  
"I don't know, she is a girl, they always like to do unnecessary things I think."  
  
"True, true," said Harry softly. He was thinking about his friends at home, and how they must miss him. 'I wonder how long it has been for them?' he thought to himself. 'It's been far to long for me.'  
  
"Hi guys!" Harry was snapped out of his thoughts as Alhoma came bounding out of the dorm, she had put some of her hair in a bun in the back and let the rest hand, so that it would not get in her way should she have to see peripherally. "You ready to go?"  
  
"Of course," said Legoril brightly, "I am anxious to finish this last of missions and then go to defend the human lands with Harry here. I have long dreamt of visiting outside of our lands alone. I want to see other humans and help against Voldemort."  
  
"Yes, agreed, except I want to see everybody again, I left so many friends when I came here. They are going to be so upset with me for leaving. I wonder if they will take me back?"  
  
"You needn't worry Harry, if they really are your friends they will take you back, maybe with a little hesitation, but they will all the same. I can't wait to meet your friends either, especially this Angie you keep telling us about," encouraged Alhoma.  
  
"Thanks Alhoma - well, lets go get our horses and go huh?"  
  
"Yeppers!" exclaimed a hyperactive Alhoma as she sprinted off towards the stables, Legoril and Harry closely behind.  
  
Harry was the last one to the stables (elves are quick) and when he finally got there he saw the other two with their horses, Legoril with his brown stallion Drake and Alhoma with her white Sunnhet. Then he saw his horse, Magisk. Magisk was a brown stallion of immense proportions, twin to Drake. He was trained to be a warhorse, and was an effective fighter by himself. With Harry on him, they made a near unstoppable team.  
  
After putting his bow and staff into their respective spots on the saddle, Harry mounted Magisk. Legoril and Alhoma mounted their horses and the three tore off through the camp and entered the wilderness, heading towards the nearest elven town. They were roughly thirty minutes down the road when Harry decided to slow the pace and give the horses a rest; Magisk certainly didn't mind and slowed to a walk, Drake and Sunnhet followed suit.  
  
"Harry?" started Legoril, "Do you have any idea where to find a forest wyvern's nest?"  
  
"Nope, you?"  
  
"No, how about you Alhoma?"  
  
"I have absolutely no id- " she stopped abruptly as a bloodcurdling scream rang in the distance. Instantly the three had out their weapons, Harry his staff, Legoril his bow, and Alhoma had out her sword. There was a few moments of silence before the scream rang out again.  
  
"Sounds like trouble. Should we investigate?" asked Alhoma tentatively.  
  
"Yes," answered Legoril, "but go along quietly. Leave the horses here." The others nodded and they unsaddled and started off into the woods in the direction of the scream, bringing their full arsenals along with them. They did not have to travel far before they heard something come crashing through the thick underbrush directly at them, and all prepared to attack. What came out however, surprised them. It was a terrified elven female who had many wounds across her body.  
  
At the sight of the four she murmured, "Please help me," and she fainted.  
  
"Alhoma, check her out, help her in any way you can," barked Harry, "Legoril, lets find what did this to her."  
  
Legoril nodded his agreement and silently crept after Harry. Both elf and man kept their senses strained to the limit to pick up any whiff of any creature, anything, when they heard it, flapping. They both looked into the air above them and genuine fear showed on both faces, a wyvern of massive proportions was flying directly above them, eyeing them.  
  
"Well, I guess we found that wyvern -" said Harry dismally. Legoril immediately sprang into action and launched three arrows in succession up at the beast, the first two tore through the membrane of the wings and the third one struck the beast in its long neck. It roared its challenge to those who dared to harm it and swept down to crush the tiny beings.  
  
As it came swooping down, Legoril and Harry jumped out of the way, and its jaws snapped on air. It began to rise again in order to make another decent and Legoril took the opportunity to fire a few more arrows, Harry on the other hand began an incantation, "Maeg khelek rip yassen naur," instantly shards of ice laced in flame shot up at the wyvern and punctured it in many places, the flame igniting its slimy skin. The wyvern screamed in pain and dove again towards the duo, but its strength was failing. The two dodged the wyvern's attack once again and took out their swords to finish it. The wyvern tried to pull up out of the dive, but its injured body could not provide the strength, so it was trapped upon the ground with his foes. Desperately, the wyvern tried to bite its opponents, but they were quick. Legoril and Harry ducked in and out of the wyvern's flailing claws, head, and tail, all the while stabbing it with their swords. The wyvern sensing defeat made one last-ditch effort to rid itself of its attackers, while distracting the two with its head it brought its tail around swinging. Harry did not have enough time to duck out of the way when he felt the spines of the tail pierce his flesh all along his side.  
  
"No!" cried Legoril as he jumped up past the wyvern's tail and onto its neck. There with one mighty blow driven by adrenalin, he swept the mighty creature's head off in one blow. Seeing that the creature was dead he yelled, "Alhoma! We need your help!" within seconds she was at Harry's side mumbling.  
  
"This does not look good. Wyvern poison is deadly and I must act quickly. Legoril, start a fire and boil water. Drop these leaves," she handed him two leaves that were star-shaped, "into the boiling water and stir. Then ask me what to do." Legoril instantly set about on his task. Alhoma lifted Harry's head and gazed into his eyes, they were beginning to glaze. "Come on Harry, hold on," she whispered. Soon she heard rustling and looked up to find the elven maiden that they had rescued standing next to her looking down at Harry.  
  
"Will - will he be alright?" she asked tentatively.  
  
"I don't know, wyvern poison is very fast acting and very deadly."  
  
The elven maiden took a potion out of her belt and handed it to Alhoma, "Here, this is a potion to slow the effects of poisons. It should help him while you brew the antidote." Alhoma nodded her thanks and after eyeing the potion to make sure that it really was a slow poison potion she dumped it down Harry's throat.  
  
"Do you think that you could show us the location of the wyvern's nest? We need one of its eggs."  
  
"Sure, I think I remember."  
  
About thirty minutes later, "Alhoma! What do I do now?" cried Legoril from about twenty feet away. Alhoma rushed over to his side leaving Harry alone with the elf maiden. Minutes later Alhoma came back and dumped the concoction down Harry's throat and Harry started to look better almost instantly.  
  
"That should do it. Thank you for the use of the potion, it may have saved his life. We will stay here overnight and then you can show us where the nest is."  
  
"Alright."  
  
Legoril set up camp and volunteered for first watch, the other two fell asleep quickly. Legoril sat with Harry, continually watching for his wakening. Within an hour Legoril's eyes were beginning to droop. His was starting to nod when he heard shifting next to him, he looked down and saw Harry looking up at him.  
  
"Hello - my fried," said Harry in elvish, "good to see you again."  
  
"Shhh Harry - don't waste your energy, sleep." Harry soon heeded the advice and was sound asleep again. Legoril awoke Alhoma for her watch and smiling told her that Harry had awoken.  
  
"Sooner than he should have. that's for sure. But thank the gods he's alright." Alhoma took her watch and stood stoically by the fire for two hours before succumbing to sleep.  
  
The next day the three elves awoke to find their human companion already up and making breakfast. His two friends hugged him and the even maiden gave a slight wave. "Harry, I'm so glad you are alright. That wyvern really gave you a nasty swipe there," commented Legoril.  
  
"Yeah, just some more scars to add to my collection," said Harry with a smile. Can we find this thing's nest?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," Alhoma pointed to the maiden, Ezra told me that she'd show us the way.  
  
"Good," came the reply, "lead on."  
  
It was a good three hours later before the group finally reached the lair of the wyvern. It was a cave in the middle of the forest. Its mouth opened up in a small grove between the mighty trees and the group entered cautiously. As they ventured further and further inside, the stench of the place became worse and worse. Harry almost threw up at one point and began to gag.  
  
"We better find the bottom of this place soon because if we don't, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I'll go crazy in this stench," supplied Harry.  
  
"No kidding," said Legoril holding his nose, "you can't even stop the stench if you hold your nose, it come in right through your mouth."  
  
"Listen you two - no use complaining about what we can't stop," yelled Alhoma getting fed up with the complaining, "I know that it stinks, but - see here is the bottom."  
  
Harry looked around and seeing nothing conjured a ball of flame. This lit the room and the quartet looked around amazed. The cave had obviously once been inhabited by elves. There were weapons lining the walls and walls and doors. There were even elven emblems blazoned upon the crumbling walls. Harry's attention was caught however by the horrible sight in the center of the cave, it was obviously the wyvern's nest. It was decorated with the bones and skulls of elves and humans alike. It was covered, like everything else down there, with a green fluorescent slime. However, in the middle of the nest, two eggs could be seen, they were glowing gold. Harry slowly went over to them and levitated them out of the nest. The others came over as well.  
  
"Stand together," Harry told them. They did without much hesitation. "Rip lye eph lu i' fela," he whispered and instantly the air around the group began to swirl and it lifted them and the eggs all out of the wretched cave. Very soon the four were standing on the main road where Legoril, Alhoma, and Harry had left their horses. It was here that they said good- bye to Ezra and mounting their horses set off back to their camp.  
  
***********  
  
They set off at a slow pace as to not aggravate their horses and arrived back at the camp in just about two hours. To their glee Nel'shira nearly fell off of his feet when he saw them returned so quickly.  
  
"Wha - Ho - How did you get back so fast?" he asked them.  
  
"Oh, we got lucky, about twenty miles down the road an elven woman had escaped from a wyvern's nest and after defeating the creature we were led to its nest. We brought these for you," said Harry floating the eggs over to Nel'shira.  
  
"Uh, yes, just - just float them into my tent over there. Good job. Ummm - well I guess take the rest of the day off," said Nel'shira still looking at them incredulously. The three bowed to him and left him standing staring after them. As they reached their barracks they cracked into laughter.  
  
"Did - did you see the look on his face?" Harry managed to get out.  
  
"Yeah - that was so classic," added Angie through her laughter.  
  
"No kidding - we could have sold tickets to that!" After their laughter had died down Harry asked if the others wanted to duel.  
  
"No way, don't you remember last time. you almost killed me!" said Legoril waving his hands defensively.  
  
"I did not!" announce Harry, "I merely knocked the wind out of you with the suffocating curse."  
  
"Exactly, suffocating curse! Do you know how dangerous that is?!"  
  
"Yes - I was controlling it well, you didn't have to worry."  
  
"DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY?! You weren't letting me breathe!"  
  
"Okay, okay, you win. We won't due -"  
  
"Taur'ohtar," the three snapped to attention as Nel'shira came over. He never addressed them as such unless what he was going to tell them was very important. "You have successfully completed the quest that I have sent you upon, and what I have found I think brings even more haste to my decision. I have found the wyvern eggs to be corrupted by black magic. Voldemort has tainted the eggs of all naturally evil creatures so that they will become more powerful and bloodthirsty. We cannot allow him to continue in this. He grows too powerful and the human resistance too weak. You must all go - tonight." He turned and left.  
  
Harry gave a leap of joy and began to smile uncontrollably. Four long years he had been away from his friends, his school, his very people. Now he would come to them again. But questions rang out in his head: What if they don't accept me back? How long has it been for them? What if they don't recognize me? How should we travel? How will humans react to Legoril and Alhoma, them being elves? How are we gonna defeat Voldemort? These questions plagued Harry as he readied himself for the journey. Soon he was packed, his sword, his staff, his bow, his daggers, his suit, rations, potion ingredients, and other gear, all in bags on Magisk. He mounted his faithful steed and with a reassuring pat said, "Don't worry boy, I am going home."  
  
His friends chose this time to walk over and when they announced themselves ready Nel'shira muttered the incantation to transport them back to the realm of humans.  
  
Thanks to those who reviewed. If you read my story plz review! For good or bad press that little button on the bottom left. THANKS! 


	11. Life Continues

(A/N: To all readers of this story I am soooooo sorry that I delayed it. This posting is short but I will try to get out the next part quickly. After that posting I may go back to my other story for a few chapters. I really don't know. Sorry about the terribly long wait but I have had a terrible case of writers block going on. for both of my stories.)  
  
Chapter 11: Life Continues  
  
It had been a month since Harry's loss, and life had returned to normal - well, almost. Harry's closest friends, Angie, Hermione, and Ron, were still deeply affected by his tragic death. Ron now felt awkward as the only boy in the group of friends, Hermione didn't have her first real friend at Hogwarts anymore, and Angie had lost her boyfriend, the one who had introduced her to magic, and to top it off she still blamed herself. Angie continued to blame herself even after Harry's letter and Hermione and Ron's constant reminders.  
  
For everyone but those three at Hogwarts, life had returned to normal. The Gryfindor quidditch team had found a new seeker, Angie. She was not as good as Harry, but better than the other seekers of Hogwarts and the team was doing well. The only class that had suffered was Dueling. Sirius had been so affected by his godson's loss that he had quit teaching for three weeks while he dealt with the loss. When he returned, he was not the same Sirius. Revenge had once again become his primary concern, and the spells that were learned were much more powerful, almost as if Sirius was giving them the means to seriously go on the offensive against a death eater, not just giving them a means of defense. Almost every week kids came out of the defense class sore from the curses they had suffered, only Ron, Hermione, and Angie came away unscathed.  
  
The trio also lost the ability to visit 'the study' with Harry's death and were upset about that as well. With all of the time they had together they had decided to become true marauders, and become animaguses. Even Hermione had agreed as after Harry's death she began to care less and less about rules. Everything seemed to be deteriorating, their whole lives seemed to be consumed by Harry's loss, and Dumbledore noticed this, and he was worried.  
  
Dumbledore was not worried about just the trio, but of the fall of the light. He knew very well that people were suffering every day from death eater attacks and he feared that the first black letter would come soon. It hurt him so much to not be able to do anything for the child that would be first to lose family.  
  
*******************  
  
Harry, Legoril, and Alhoma had had a rough landing. That is only if you considered rolling down the side of a rather large hill rough, which of course the trio did. After some quick healing spells all three stood and examined their surroundings. They were most defiantly in England Harry noted. He could tell by the position of the stars and the constellations that were visible. He could see all of this clearly in the dark, for indeed it was dark. Harry would have to rely on his two companions for warnings of attacks much more during the night, for his night vision was nothing compared to the night vision that the elves possessed.  
  
"Do you sense anything dark friends?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
"No," replied Legoril, "there is nothing that will trouble us here."  
  
With that the three skulked to a nearby forest where again all listened for any kind of irregularity. When none was heard they continued into the forest, hopefully to find some kind of town soon, magic or muggle, just to find where they were. Harry would not risk his air transporting spell here, there was too much need for secrecy. Eventually the trio came to a town. Before they went in though Harry used his magic to disguise the elves ears, for protection from both muggles and wizards.  
  
Upon entering the town they found that it was a muggle village. There was only one place open this late. the bar. The three stepped into the bar and were instantly great with stares. The three walked up to the bar table and waved down the bartender. He was a middle aged man, well built. He grunted at Harry.  
  
"Excuse me sir, could you tell me what town this is?"  
  
"Boy, how old are you?" the barkeep asked in a very gruff voice.  
  
"Eighteen," answered Harry truthfully, for him it had been that long.  
  
The bartender grunted before answering, "This is Lanchester." With that he turned and went to tend some other customers.  
  
Harry extended his thanks before the three began to head for the door. Before they made it however, another man grabbed Alhoma's shirt.  
  
"My, you're a pretty thing," he said. The man was obviously drunk. Legoril hit his hand away and taking Alhoma by the hand began to lead her out the door. The drunk man stood and drawling, "You'll regret that boy," took out a knife.  
  
Harry waved Legoril out the door with Alhoma. "I suggest that you put the knife away sir."  
  
"And if I don't?" the drunk man asked with a laugh.  
  
"Then I will be forced to MAKE you put it down," replied a sangfroid Harry.  
  
There were laughs that came from all around the bar. "Good luck lad!" One man yelled, "That man there is the best knife fighter in the county!"  
  
"Thanks for the warning sir, but I can handle this one."  
  
It was then that the man moved forward with the knife. Harry stood and let him come. Then he stabbed. He was quick, but Harry was much quicker, especially since the man was drunk. Harry using the man's delayed reflexes to his advantage unleashed a powerful combination of kicks, and ending with an elbow in the man's gut. This dropped him, and halted all the commotion in the bar. Then Harry walked out calmly, leaving the drunk man on the floor.  
  
"Well I do believe that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Harry heard one man comment as he walked out the door.  
  
******************  
  
It wasn't long later that the three had began the road to Hogsmede, a little under 100 miles away. On the way there Harry filled in the two about many human customs and the like that they had not been taught. The three walked through the night. Harry on his excitement, Legoril on excitement, and Alhoma because the other two were. They finally reached Hogsmede in the morning, about the time that the shops were opening. They quickly found out that it was well after the Christmas Holidays. Harry groaned, it had been over three months. He knew inside that it was a short time, but still, three months? His friends, they must have been heartbroken. He himself thought that he would die. Harry leaned his head down on his chest in a sigh. Both of his companions noticed that something was wrong, but didn't say a thing.  
  
Harry led the troop to the local inn and after a quick session with the innkeeper got them in for as long as they needed a room. The next thing that the three did was inquire around about Voldemort and his activities. How the light side was doing and who had been lost. In order to accomplish this Harry, Legoril, and Alhoma went to Madam Rosetta's bar for butterbeer. There, after making idle conversation for a while, the three found out about the current situation.  
  
The light side was losing. Voldemort gained more followers daily as it appeared that he was the side to join. This swelling of the ranks included many younger students and many students even from houses other than Slytheran. Even some Gryfindors it was said were becoming untrustworthy.  
  
The trio finally returned to the inn at night. They analyzed all of the "data" they had collected over the course of the day. Voldemort was winning was the conclusion they reached. The last bastion of hope was Hogwarts and the three teenage prodigies. They had begun to teach some of the others at the school, but it was hard, and they were not experienced enough. "If only Harry Potter was here..." was said more than once.  
  
"Well..." Harry began after they had assessed all the information, "I think that there is but one thing we can do." He looked at the other two who nodded their heads. "Fight."  
  
*******************  
  
Dumbledore had sweat on his brow as he turned a stunning spell away. The death eaters were gaining the upper hand in this battle. Already two of the "Old Crowd" were down, stunned. He couldn't, wouldn't, let them be captured. With a sweep of his wand he stunned two death eaters. Just then he was hit in the back with an illusion charm. He could no longer tell the difference between friend and foe. With this he gave up. There was no counter-charm, only time could wear off the illusion. And time was something that the group did not have. He could hear screams all around him as friend and foe alike fell. Though the screams were more from friends under the cruatious.  
  
Then miraculously he could see correctly again. He saw his stunned comrades rise and the ones under the cruatious released from the terrible curse. Dumbledore looked around. His forces were as confused as those of the Death Eaters.  
  
Then suddenly a bright white light burst forth in the middle of the battle. Around it death eaters fell, arrows piercing their hearts. None could see into the light shield that had been erected, there was no guessing at how many were cloaked inside. The forces of light began to fight with a renewed vigor, the Death Eaters shot random spells into the light, hoping to hit something. Arrows kept pouring forth.  
  
Then Dumbledore saw something coming out of the light. It was a young man by the look of him, wielding a sword. It was the most beautiful object he had ever seen, that sword. It seemed to be absorbing the light around it and then shining it back out with five times the intensity. If Dumbledore didn't know better he would have though a star was kept inside of it.  
  
*****************  
  
Harry jolted awake as did Legoril and Alhoma. One of their dark mark sensors was going crazy.  
  
"There is a high concentration of death eaters at Hogsmede," announced Legoril grimly.  
  
Harry paled a bit. That was too close to Hogwarts for comfort. No doubt there would be Hogwarts staff and maybe even his friends in the battle. Harry summoned all of his battle possessions to him and immediately strapped them all on, Legoril and Alhoma did the same.  
  
"Ready?" Harry asked his elven companions.  
  
They nodded their heads and Harry muttered the transporting spell sending them to Hogsmede immediately.  
  
They landed in the middle of a battle that was quite vast. There were at least twenty-five forces for the side of light and forty-five for the death eaters. Neither Voldemort nor his friends were present.  
  
Instantly Alhoma put a light shield over the group of three and released the spells holding Dumbledore and others on the side of light. Alhoma, while not that powerful offensively, had mastered many defensive and healing spells a good century before. With time she had only improved. The participants of the battle all stopped to stare at the brilliant white light coming from the center of the field. That was the death eaters first mistake. The second was looking at it for a full ten seconds. In that time they had already lost ten of their numbers with arrows in their throats.  
  
When the death eaters finally realized what was happening they began to shoot random spells into the light shield. These were simply absorbed into the shield, further strengthening it.  
  
Seconds later Harry ran out of arrows and with a smile playing on his lips unsheathed his sword. It flashed in the light and then absorbed some of the light shield into it. Harry rushed out with his sword brightly shining.  
  
(A/N: I apologize again for getting this out extremely late, and for this chapter being very short. Here is a teaser for the next chapter.)  
  
"Harry brought his sword down slicing through the Death Eater's robes and biting well into his arm. When the wound was opened the light surrounding Harry's sword went into it and destroyed the man in his entirety, his dark soul had been cleansed by the purity of the light. With the destruction of his soul, the man passed too. The light that surrounded Harry's sword now gone he imbued it with something else, something much more powerful - death." 


End file.
